The Latest Stats on Datacenters and Residential Energy Costs

By Paul Steidler: A short while ago, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its Electric Power Monthly, the most authoritative information about electricity prices in the U.S. and, once again, the information strongly refutes the notion that datacenters are singularly responsible for rising electricity prices in America.

Of particular note, from December 2024 to December 2025:

-The nationwide residential average cost for electricity was 17.24 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh), up 6.0 percent from a year earlier.

-In Virginia and Texas, the states with by far the most datacenters which account for 25 percent of the national total, prices are under the national average at 15.87 c/kWh in Texas, or 7.9 percent, and 15.27 c/kWh in Virginia, or 11.4 percent.

-In Vermont, the home state of Senator Bernie Sanders and the state with the fewest datacenters, the average residential price was 23.22 c/kWh, 35 percent above the national average.

-In North Dakota and South Dakota, where energy expansion has been vigorous, both states average cost is well below the national average, at 11.02 c/kWh and 12.51 c/kWh, respectively.

EIA is part of the U.S. Department of Energy. For related information, see a February 12 RealClearEnergy article here.