Energy experts at Texas Electricity Ratings used the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) to find the increase in each state’s average electricity price. Image by NickyPe from Pixabay

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (MPG) - California has seen the second largest increase in energy costs, with a 74% increase between 2015 and 2023. Maine has faced the biggest increase in energy costs for customers, with a 76% increase from 2015 to 2023. At the other end of the scale, Utah has had the smallest increase in energy costs at just 3%.

With inflation rising, it seems that our hard-earned dollars are traveling less distance every year, and as a result, there is a growing concern around the country with regards to the ever-increasing cost of utilities. With this in mind, a new study has uncovered the states where residential consumers have faced the biggest increases in energy costs over the years, with Maine topping the list.

Energy experts at Texas Electricity Ratings used the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) to find the increase in each state’s average electricity price in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) that residential consumers paid from 2015 to 2023.

The ranking is based on, and ordered by, the states which have seen the biggest increase in this time frame with Maine seeing the largest increase overall, 75.7%, as opposed to Utah residents who have seen the smallest increase, 2.9%.

The Pine Tree State, Maine ranks top and has faced the biggest increase in energy costs in the U.S., with customers paying 75.7% more in 2023 than they were in 2015. The average electricity cost for consumers in 2015 was 15.61 cents per kilowatt-hour, which rose to 27.42 cents in 2023. Residential consumers saw the biggest increase in energy costs between 2022 and 2023, from 22.44 cents to 29.51 cents per kilowatt-hour, an increase of 7.07 cents. 

California is second, with an increase of 73.7% in energy costs from 2015 to 2023 for customers. In 2015, consumers in the Golden State paid an average of 16.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, which jumped to 29.51 in 2023. From 2022 to 2023, customers faced an energy cost increase from 25.84 cents per kilowatt-hour to 29.51 cents, which is 3.67 cents. 

With a 52.2% increase in the average kilowatt-hour cost for customers New Hampshire ranks third. In 2015, residential consumers in the Granite State paid an average of 18.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, which rose to 28.15 cents in 2023. Energy customers saw the biggest increase from 2021 to 2022 from 19.85 cents per kilowatt-hour to 25.46 cents, which is a difference of 5.61 cents. 

In fourth-place is Massachusetts where customers faced a 49.3% increase in energy costs from 2015 to 2023. In 2015, the average cost for Bay Staters per kilowatt-hour was 19.83 cents, which rose to 29.61 cents in 2023. Customers saw the biggest increase from 2022 to 2023, from 25.97 cents per kilowatt-hour to 29.61 cents (3.64-cent increase). 

Fifth on the list is Hawaii, with a 43.2% increase in energy costs for consumers between 2015 and 2023. On average, energy customers paid 29.6 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2015, which jumped to 42.39 cents in 2023. Aloha State consumers saw the biggest increase in costs between 2021 and 2022, from 33.49 cents per kilowatt-hour to 43.03 cents, which is a significant 9.54 cents. 

Next is Connecticut where consumers paid 42.7% more for energy in 2023 than in 2015, ranking sixth overall. The average cost per kilowatt-hour in 2015 was 20.94 cents in the state, which rose to 29.88 cents in 2023. Nutmeg State customers saw the biggest increase from 2021 to 2022, from 21.91 cents per kilowatt-hour to 24.61 cents per kilowatt-hour (2.7 cents increase). 

 

With an increase of 40.1% in energy costs between 2015 and 2023, Rhode Island ranks seventh. In 2015, the average cost per kilowatt-hour for Ocean Staters was 19.29 cents, which rose to 27.02 cents in 2023. From 2022 to 2023, residential consumers saw the biggest difference in a year, from 23.21 cents per kilowatt-hour to 27.02 cents (3.81 cents). 

West Virginia is in eighth-place, where customers have faced an increase of 39.4% in their energy costs. The average cost per kilowatt-hour in the Mountain State was 10.08 cents in the state, which increased to 14.05 cents in 2015. Between 2015 and 2016, residential consumers saw the biggest difference in a year, from 10.08 cents per kilowatt-hour to 11.44 cents per kilowatt-hour (1.36 cents). 

Following in ninth position is Pennsylvania, with an increase of 32.7% in energy costs from 2015 and 2023. On average, energy customers in the Keystone State paid 13.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2015, which jumped to 18.1 cents in 2023. The biggest increase in the state was between 2022 and 2023, from 15.94 cents per kilowatt-hour to 18.1 cents, which is a difference of 2.16 cents. 

Completing the top 10 is Florida where energy costs increased by 31.4% between 2015 and 2023 for customers. In 2015, consumers from the Sunshine State paid 11.58 cents per kilowatt-hour on average, which increased to 15.21 cents in 2023. The most significant difference in costs was between 2021 and 2022, from 11.9 cents per kilowatt-hour to 13.9 cents (two cents). 

At the other end of the ranking is Utah. Within the Beehive State, energy costs increased by just 2.9% between 2015 and 2023 for customers. In 2015, consumers paid 10.88 cents per kilowatt-hour on average, which increased to 11.20 cents in 2023.

The U.S. Energy Information Agency’s “Electricity Data Browser” was analyzed to reveal the average cost per kilowatt-hour for customers in each state between 2015 and 2023. The ranking has been created, based on the states which have seen the biggest increase from 2015 to 2023. 

“With rising energy costs putting a potential strain on household finances, it is important to track these increases throughout the years,” said chief executive officer of Texas Electricity Ratings Karl Trollinger. “For the majority of states, the biggest increases that consumers have faced came during the more recent years of 2021, 2022 and 2023. Before that, energy costs didn’t increase significantly and even decreased slightly at times.”