Blue-state residents pay 37% more for electricity than red states, study finds

by Ryan King, Washington Examiner, April 18, 2023

Energy prices have soared to high levels since the pandemic recovery, but the pinch is most pronounced in blue states, a study found.

On average, blue states pay 37% more than red states for electricity, research from Texas electricity provider Payless Power first shared with the Washington Examiner found. Additionally, 76% of the least expensive states for electricity were red.

States with the highest electricity costs include Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, New York, Alaska, and Maine. New Hampshire was classified as a blue state in the study.

Hawaii clocked in as the most expensive state for electricity, with a 44 cents per kilowatt-hour cost, far higher than the bottom-ranking state of Idaho, with a 10 cents per kilowatt-hour cost, according to the study.

Data for the study were compiled from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A survey that accompanied the research found that 59% of respondents were unsatisfied with the costs of their utilities, and 74% were dissatisfied with electricity costs specifically.

Republicans had a higher dissatisfaction rate of 65% relative to Democrats at 57%. Among all recipients, 81% contended that their local governments need to do more to curtail energy costs. Thirty percent of respondents said they were "extremely" or "very" likely to vote for a candidate promising to rein in energy costs.

Of the top half of states with high electricity costs, only six classified as red made the cut: Alaska, Indiana, Alabama, Texas, Ohio, and Kansas.

For the bottom half of states with low electricity costs, six deemed blue made the list: Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, and New Mexico.

The study also took note of California and Texas. The Lone Star State has its own energy system, distinct from the Eastern Interconnection and the Western Interconnection, to circumvent federal energy regulations.

Of those three grids, Texas had the highest estimated average monthly electricity bill of $162, but it also consumes the most energy, according to the study. Texas energy costs an average of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The Eastern Interconnection's average monthly cost rang in at $142 and cost 17 cents per kilowatt-hour, while the Western Interconnection came in at $111 and cost 13 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the study. California's electricity bills were found to be 73% higher than any other state in the Eastern Interconnection, costing 26 cents per kilowatt-hour.

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