Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861, EIA retail sales, EIA-860/923, Census ACS, NOAA · How we got these numbers · Report an error

Cost to heat a home in Alaska: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 26.11 cents per kWh and natural gas at $12.96 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $13.17 from a gas furnace, $25.51 from a heat pump and $76.52 from resistance heating in Alaska.

Your Alaska heating cost

    Alaska inputs: 26.11 ¢ per kWh, $12.96 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    26.11 ¢/kWhrank 5 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $12.96 per Mcfrank 29 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $13.17 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 29 of 45
    Heat pump
    $25.51 per MMBturank 41 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $76.52 per MMBtu5.8 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    5.81a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 45 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $1,275 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    14%49% utility gas, 2% propane, 28% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +5.2%
    Gas since 2024
    +10.5%
    2026 to date
    power +4.8%, gas +5.4%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +36% over spring and fallsummer -8%: a winter-peaking state
    Occupied homes in Alaska (ACS 2023)
    267,86536,796 electric, 131,917 utility gas, 6,425 propane, 75,523 oil; 2 of 30 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Alaska
    2,984 MWEIA-860 2025; 0 MW under construction

    Alaska charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Alaska

    $13.17 gas, $25.51 heat pump, $76.52 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance76.5
    • Heat pump, COP 3.025.5
    • Gas furnace, 95%13.2

    Alaska, Cost of one MMBtu of heat in Alaska: EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Alaska

    Electricity $76.52 and gas $13 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Alaska, 2015 to 2025: 10 rows
    YearAlaska electricityAlaska gas
    201558.19.3
    201762.310.2
    201864.310.6
    201967.210.7
    202066.110.8
    202166.110.6
    202267.710.7
    202370.011.0
    202472.711.3
    202576.512.5

    10 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Alaska heats

    14% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity13.7
    • Utility gas49.2
    • Propane2.4
    • Fuel oil28.2
    • Wood4.7

    Alaska, How Alaska homes are heated: Census ACS 2023, table B25040.

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Alaska

    4.44 to 6.31 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Alaska: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan6.195.68
    Feb6.175.69
    Mar6.316.04
    Apr6.115.79
    May5.845.65
    Jun5.114.69
    Jul4.444.75
    Aug4.62No data
    Sep5.09No data
    Oct5.46No data
    Nov5.63No data
    Dec5.76No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Alaska homes heat

    Alaska main fuelAlaska homesAlaska shareAlaska rank among states
    Electricity36,79613.7%42 of 45
    Utility gas131,91749.2%23 of 45
    Propane6,4252.4%40 of 45
    Fuel oil75,52328.2%3 of 45
    Wood12,4834.7%8 of 45

    Alaska has 2,984 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 1,391 MW; 0 MW is under construction and 30 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    2 Alaska utilities report meters to EIA-861: 74.1% of 302,338 home meters are smart (AMI), 2 offer a home time-of-use rate and 69 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Alaska counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 5 counties.

    Alaska countyAlaska residentsAlaska electric heatAlaska utility gasAlaska propaneAlaska median income
    Juneau City and Borough31,96933%6%4%$100,513
    Anchorage Municipality289,06916%79%2%$98,152
    Fairbanks North Star Borough95,55510%8%3%$84,722
    Matanuska-Susitna Borough110,6778%71%2%$90,625
    Kenai Peninsula Borough59,8437%53%4%$77,722

    Alaska month by month

    MonthAlaska electricity ¢/kWhAlaska gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuAlaska break-even COP
    Jul 202628.83$17.49$28.2$17.84.75
    Jun 202628.21$17.35$27.6$17.64.69
    May 202628.19$14.40$27.5$14.65.65
    Apr 202627.35$13.63$26.7$13.85.79
    Mar 202627.16$12.96$26.5$13.26.04
    Feb 202625.86$13.12$25.3$13.35.69
    Jan 202625.44$12.92$24.9$13.15.68
    Dec 202525.54$12.80$25.0$13.05.76
    Nov 202525.94$13.28$25.3$13.55.63
    Oct 202526.50$13.99$25.9$14.25.46
    Sep 202527.22$15.43$26.6$15.75.09
    Aug 202527.79$17.35$27.1$17.64.62
    Jul 202527.36$17.76$26.7$18.04.44
    Jun 202526.99$15.23$26.4$15.55.11
    May 202526.10$12.88$25.5$13.15.84
    Apr 202525.99$12.27$25.4$12.56.11
    Mar 202525.83$11.80$25.2$12.06.31
    Feb 202524.82$11.60$24.2$11.86.17
    Jan 202524.78$11.55$24.2$11.76.19

    Heating season

    No data: NOAA nClimDiv has no statewide degree days for Alaska.

    Analyst note

    Break-even COP 5.81 is Alaska's most unusual heating number, rank 1 of 45. Main heating fuel in Alaska is utility gas (49% of homes); electricity heats 14% and utility gas 49%. Since 2024 electricity moved +5.2% and gas +10.5%; in 2026 to date power is +4.8% and gas +5.4% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $12.34 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 5.81 ranks 45th of 45. The most electric counties of Alaska with 20,000+ residents are led by Juneau City and Borough at 33% of homes.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near AlaskaBreak-even COP near AlaskaGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Michigan5.29$11.10$19.57
    Wisconsin4.86$10.91$17.66
    New Jersey4.56$14.44$21.96
    Illinois4.53$11.43$17.26
    Idaho4.44$7.81$11.56
    New Mexico4.36$9.99$14.51

    Questions on heating in Alaska

    Why is the Alaska break-even COP low?

    5.81 puts Alaska at 1 of 45 states: electricity runs 5.8 times the cost of furnace heat per MMBtu.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Alaska?

    No on fuel cost: $25.51 per MMBtu against $13.17 for gas, break-even COP 5.81.

    Which Alaska county has the most electric heating?

    Juneau City and Borough: 33% of 13,138 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $100,513.

    What share of Alaska homes heat with electricity?

    14% of 267,865 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 49% with utility gas.

    Where does Alaska rank on heat pump cost?

    41 of 45 at $25.51 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Alaska a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +36% over spring and fall, summer -8%: heating drives the load.

    Did gas or electricity get more expensive in Alaska in 2026?

    January to Aug: electricity +4.8%, gas +5.4% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Alaska have?

    2,984 MW operable in 2025, 0 MW under construction, 30 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Alaska homes have smart meters?

    74.1% of 302,338 home meters, 2 of 2 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Alaska

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    With electricity at 26.11 cents per kWh and natural gas at $12.96 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $13.17 from a gas furnace, $25.51 from a heat pump and $76.52…