Investor-owned utilities charge 23% more for electricity than public providers

Investor-owned utilities charged an average of 17.8¢ per kilowatt-hour in 2025, compared to 14.5¢ at public utilities and 14.1¢ at cooperatives—representing a 23% premium for investor-owned service. Since 2020, investor-owned utility prices have surged 34%, significantly outpacing the 19% increase at public utilities and 24% general inflation, with investor-owned rates rising faster than nonprofit competitors in 38 of 48 states that have both utility types.