Are you a journalist or researcher writing about this topic?

Contact us and we'll connect you with an expert on our team who can provide insights and data to support your work.

Electricity In West Virginia

  • Population1,792,147
  • Total Consumption32,615,230 MWh / 18.2 MWh per capita
  • CO2 Equivalent Emissions28,981,047,850 kg
  • Total Production62,307,375 MWh / 34.77 MWh per capita
state-map

Residential Electricity Bills & Rates in West Virginia

West Virginia residential electric rates are highest in January and the highest average bill is in March.

Historical Pricing:
Price Per kWHAverage Bill$0.130/kWh$0.098/kWh$195.61/mo.$91.11/mo.
20th11.90¢Average residential price per kWh in the state of West Virginia
38th$128.45Average residential monthly electricity bill for West Virginia Residents

Energy Profile of West Virginia

West Virginia's Electricity Prices and Usage

The average electricity rate in West Virginia in 2021 is 11.90 cents per kilowatt hour, which is 10.72% below the national average rate of 13.33 cents. The state operates a deregulated electricity market, where customers are able to choose between multiple electricity vendors out of the 9 providers that operate in the state. There are over 28,981,047,850.01 kilograms of CO2 equivalent gases emitted from electricity consumption in the state, which is enough to make West Virginia the 20th worst polluting state in the US based on total kilograms emitted. All told, residents in the state consume over 32,600,000 megawatt hours for statewide electricity needs, which is the 34th highest amount for total electricity consumption by a state. Selling 12,238,711 megawatt hours per year, Mon Power is the largest electricity provider in the state. The state ranks 24th in the US in total electricity generated within its borders, with 62,307,375.27 megawatt hours generated.

Electricity Providers in West Virginia

ProviderArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Rate (¢)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Average Bill ($)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Residential Sales (MWh)Arrow DownBlue arrow pointing down.Residential Revenues ($)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.State Production (MWh)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.State Emissions (KG)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
Appalachian Power Company13.04154.635,052,639658,748,00017,961,249.977,316,895,628.43
Mon Power10.99101.043,690,552405,544,06516,656,821.958,785,390,426.13
Potomac Edison10.12127.591,922,541194,471,102No DataIcon representing missing value.3,272,406,840.06
Wheeling Power Company13.52130.02403,57754,580,0001,668,0028,125,189,664.86
Harrison Rural Electrification17.78144.8359,65010,603,000No DataIcon representing missing value.78,363,347.73
Black Diamond Power Company13.31113.935,5804,733,982No DataIcon representing missing value.43,162,485.73
Philippi Municipal Electric8.6471.4813,5461,170,000No DataIcon representing missing value.31,294,690.37
New Martinsville, West Virginia Electric Utility 14.0397.1111,5081,614,000No DataIcon representing missing value.27,177,038.1
Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop17.1683.882,499428,800No DataIcon representing missing value.2,513,776.06
9 providers total

Power Plants in West Virginia

PlantArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Primary Fuel TypeArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Production (MWh)Arrow DownBlue arrow pointing down.Emission (KG)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Emissions per MWh (KG/MWh)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Toxic Chemical ReleaseArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Closing DateArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
FirstEnergy Harrison Power StationMon Power (100.00%)
Coal 11,254,585.9610,886,880,561.59967.33No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
John E AmosAppalachian Power Company (100.00%)
Coal 10,339,523.969,637,124,507.02932.07YesNo DataIcon representing missing value.
MountaineerAppalachian Power Company (100.00%)
Coal 7,199,429.016,586,059,461.42914.8No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
FirstEnergy Pleasants Power StationFirst Energy (100.00%)
Coal 7,196,943.017,336,684,752.31,019.42No DataIcon representing missing value.6/2022
Mt StormDominion Energy (100.00%)
Coal 5,956,441.015,797,828,957.63973.37YesNo DataIcon representing missing value.
FirstEnergy Fort Martin Power StationMon Power (100.00%)
Coal 5,402,235.995,386,358,104.64997.06YesNo DataIcon representing missing value.
Longview Power Plant
Coal 5,247,555.994,300,154,554.24819.46No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
Mitchell (WV)Wheeling Power Company (50.00%)Kentucky Power (50.00%)
Coal 3,336,0043,312,378,252.41992.92YesNo DataIcon representing missing value.
Pleasants Energy LLCLuminant Energy (100.00%)
Natural Gas 1,595,933874,844,547.91548.17No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
Axiall Natrium PlantWestlake Chemical Natrium Plant (100.00%)
Natural Gas 729,005.99165,557,172.2227.1No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
35 power plants total

Quick Facts

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

West Virginia produces 1.72 megawatt hours per resident of the state from renewable fuel sources. This makes West Virginia the 28th highest state for renewable production per capita in the country.

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

In the state of West Virginia, the usage of renewable fuels for electricity generation has declined by 13.21% over the course of the last year.

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

West Virginia is the 39th most populous state in the US.

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

West Virginia is 3rd in the nation for megawatt hours per capita generated from coal, averaging 31.41 megawatt hours per person a year.

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

West Virginia ranks 19th highest in the nation for electricity per person produced from wind power. With a total production amount of 1,727,794 megawatt hours from wind turbines and a population of 1,792,147, the state averages 0.96 megawatt hours per person per year from wind energy.

Light BulbIcon representing an idea.

With 56,288,632.94 megawatt hours of electricity generated from coal, West Virginia is 3rd in the country for total megawatt hours produced from coal.

CountyArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.PopulationArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.ProvidersArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.PlantsArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Rate (¢)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Avg. Electric BillArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
Barbour County16,4414 providers112.47$105.78/mo
Berkeley County119,1716 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.55$114.31/mo
Boone County21,4573 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.08$147.76/mo
Braxton County13,9574 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.70$105.43/mo
Brooke County21,9398 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.44$124.93/mo
Cabell County91,9453 providers113.04$154.63/mo
Calhoun County7,1093 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.17$102.07/mo
Clay County8,5085 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.47$121.74/mo
Doddridge County8,4485 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.34$123.31/mo
Fayette County42,4065 providers212.94$141.71/mo
Gilmer County7,8233 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.93$107.08/mo
Grant County11,5683 providers310.55$114.31/mo
Greenbrier County34,6629 providers312.90$116.64/mo
Hampshire County23,1756 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.55$114.31/mo
Hancock County28,8108 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.97$112.22/mo
Hardy County13,7767 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.55$114.31/mo
Harrison County67,2566 providers113.90$118.95/mo
Jackson County28,5766 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.15$127.99/mo
Jefferson County57,14610 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.54$114.67/mo
Kanawha County178,1245 providers213.12$133.55/mo
Lewis County15,9074 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.20$112.34/mo
Lincoln County20,4093 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.08$147.52/mo
Logan County32,0193 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.05$153.06/mo
Marion County56,0727 providers113.98$119.95/mo
Marshall County30,53112 providers212.75$130.27/mo
Mason County26,5165 providers113.11$144.37/mo
McDowell County17,6244 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.11$142.86/mo
Mercer County58,7584 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.35$130.36/mo
Mineral County26,8683 providers110.55$114.31/mo
Mingo County23,4244 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.07$149.58/mo
Monongalia County105,6126 providers313.76$118.92/mo
Monroe County13,2757 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.97$109.50/mo
Morgan County17,8846 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.55$114.31/mo
Nicholas County24,4965 providers112.23$122.16/mo
Ohio County41,4118 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.55$129.09/mo
Pendleton County6,9696 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.10.66$111.16/mo
Pleasants County7,4604 providers310.99$101.04/mo
Pocahontas County8,2476 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.73$96.20/mo
Preston County33,4327 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.38$108.80/mo
Putnam County56,4503 providers213.15$137.77/mo
Raleigh County73,3615 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.04$132.28/mo
Randolph County28,6955 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.41$106.36/mo
Ritchie County9,5545 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.56$111.21/mo
Roane County13,6885 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.53$128.02/mo
Summers County12,5736 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.23$120.51/mo
Taylor County16,6954 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.47$114.81/mo
Tucker County6,8395 providers111.96$106.83/mo
Tyler County8,59111 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.22$120.48/mo
Upshur County24,1764 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.75$108.33/mo
Wayne County39,4024 providers213.04$154.63/mo
Webster County8,1144 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.50$104.11/mo
Wetzel County15,06513 providers112.94$120.85/mo
Wirt County5,8214 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.11.21$106.85/mo
Wood County83,5185 providers111.14$105.02/mo
Wyoming County20,3943 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.17$134.26/mo

Power Plant Fuel Types, Emissions & Pollution Factors

The state of West Virginia’s top fuel type consumed for electricity generation is Coal. They produce 56,288,632.94 megawatt hours, or 90.34% of the total production in the state, from this fuel source. Taken together with Natural Gas (4.44%) and Wind (2.77%), these three fuel sources make up 97.55% electricity generation in the state. The state emits 16,171.13 kilograms of CO2 equivalent pollution per citizen in the state, which makes it the 3rd highest polluting state in the country. Total emissions in the state equal 28,981,047,850.01 kilograms, which is the 20th worst total amount of emissions for any state. West Virginia has 35 power plants, which is 49th highest in the country and 40th highest when counting plants per citizen.

COAL
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
90.34%
NATURAL GAS
Natural Gas
4.44%
WIND Renewable, RefreshableIcon representing renewability.
Wind
2.77%
CONVENTIONAL HYDROELECTRIC Renewable, RefreshableIcon representing renewability.
Conventional Hydroelectric
2.17%
DISTILLATE FUEL OIL
Distillate Fuel Oil
0.23%
OTHER
Other
0.08%

Net Metering

There are 9 companies in West Virginia providing electricity. Of those 9,5 of them offer some type of net metering option for their customers, making solar panels and alternative electric sources more economically viable. Regulations put in place at the state level are some of the best for consumers interested in installing solar or other alternative electricity generation sources.

Energy Loss

West Virginia has 3 providers who are reporting energy loss during transmission activities. The average energy loss amount for these 3 companies is 6.42%. For comparison, the countrywide average electricity loss is 2.72%. West Virginia has a rank of 5th worst in the country for energy loss.

Solar Taxes And Rebates

When it comes to stimulating solar panel installs at private residences, one of the best uses of government resources is tax breaks and rebates for solar installs. West Virginia currently offers no state tax credit to consumers who install solar at their place of residence. The state offers no rebates to citizens who are installing solar panels. There are currently no property tax exemptions for citizens in West Virginia. Residents in the state do not have access to a sales tax exemption when purchasing solar panels.

State Level Initiatives

Customers who are seeking electricity options that generated by renewable sources will benefit from statewide initiatives that encourage green energy usage. Many states require green fuel types to be a portion of the fuel used for electricity generation. These stipulations are referred to as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). The state of West Virginia does not currently have any standards in place that suppliers must adhere to. Furthermore, there are currently no low income solar programs to assist low income families to install solar panels.

FAQ: Common Questions About Energy in West Virginia

What is a good electricity rate in West Virginia?

Anything below the West Virginia average of 11.90 cents per kilowatt hour would be a good rate. The rates in the state range from 8.64 cents to 17.78 cents per kilowatt hour, with Philippi Municipal Electric currently having the lowest rates.

Where does West Virginia get its electricity?

In addition, Natural Gas accounts for 4.44% and Wind makes up 2.77%.

How much does electricity cost in West Virginia?

The average cost per kilowatt hour of electricity is 11.90 cents in West Virginia in 2021.