Policy Analysis — June 2026

California's Electricity Crisis

Double the price, half the usage. Mandates, wildfires, and nuclear politics drive the priciest electricity on the mainland.

CA Residential
33.4¢
Per kWh, March 2026
US Average
18.8¢
Per kWh
CA Premium
+78%
Above national avg
Monthly Bill
$170
Using only 491 kWh

Residential Electricity Rates

Cents per kWh, March 2026

HawaiiCaliforniaMassachusettsConnecticutUS AverageTexasLouisianaN. Dakota0¢15¢30¢45¢41.62¢33.4¢31.51¢28.5¢18.8¢16.4¢12.44¢11.02¢

Use Less, Pay More

CA uses ~45% less electricity but pays higher bills

California
$170
Monthly bill
491 kWh
Usage
34.71¢/kWh
US Average
$155
Monthly bill
899 kWh
Usage
17.24¢/kWh
Texas
$174
Monthly bill
1096 kWh
Usage
15.87¢/kWh
Louisiana
$130
Monthly bill
1045 kWh
Usage
12.44¢/kWh
Texas uses 2.2x more electricity and pays the same bill. The difference is pure rate premium.

Rate Trajectory

Residential ¢/kWh, 2019–2026

  • California
  • Texas
  • US Average
201920202021202220232024202520268¢16¢24¢32¢38¢
CA rates grew 76% since 2019 — nearly double the national average and triple Texas.
Sources: EIA, CAISO, CA Energy Commission, CPUC, CA Legislative Analyst, NRC, AAA, GasBuddy, Tax Foundation, MIT/Stanford, Kpler, Bloomberg, Reuters, CalMatters, UC Davis. March 2026.
© 2026 CA Policy · About