West Virginia commercial electricity rates

Analyst note

The West Virginia commercial price sat above the U.S. average in 0 of 10 years; the gap was -2.03 ¢ in 2015 and -1.13 ¢ in 2024. In the 2024 ranking West Virginia sits between Colorado (11.71 ¢) one place above and Kentucky (11.50 ¢) one place below; the top of the list is 26.56 ¢ away and the bottom 4.43 ¢. West Virginia was 45th in 2015 with 8.61 ¢ and is 26th now; a rise in the table. West Virginia commercial prices rose in 7 of 9 years. The largest rise was +9.7% in 2022, and the largest fall -3.5% in 2018. The West Virginia price peaked at 11.62 ¢ in 2024 and bottomed at 8.61 ¢ in 2015; 2024 is the peak and +35.0% from the low. Compounded, that is +3.39% a year in West Virginia, +1.36 points against the U.S. West Virginia buys 0.53% of all U.S. commercial electricity with 0.78% of the accounts, so the average West Virginia account uses 0.68 times the national average.

A middle price: 11.62 ¢/kWh for West Virginia commercial accounts, rank 26 of 51, -8.9% against the U.S. West Virginia: +35.0% over nine years, or +3.4% a year, beating the national +19.8% by 15.1 points; 2022 was the biggest single move (+9.7%) and 2024 the high.

Last year's change in West Virginia was +5.3% and still rising. Against the residential price of 15.07 ¢ the gap is 3.45 ¢. Commercial sales are 23.2% of West Virginia electricity sold, and an average West Virginia account used 4,202 kWh a month, an implied bill near $488.

Counting revenue instead of kWh, West Virginia commercial accounts bring in 24.4% of West Virginia sector revenue on 23.2% of the kWh, a premium of 1.2 points that comes from the price level: 11.62 ¢ here against 15.07 ¢ for residential and 7.81 ¢ for industrial accounts. The average West Virginia commercial account uses 4,202 kWh a month, 45 of 51 among states on that measure; a residential account uses 0.24 times as much and an industrial account 26.40 times. Commercial accounts are 14.77% of the 1,029,473 accounts in West Virginia.