Which North American Cities Pay the Most For Electricity?

Electricity pricing, also known as electricity tariffs, varies widely from one country to the other and also between cities within the same nation. Even though the electricity might come from the same source, the price varies. At times the people living in the country producing the power can pay more than the residents of the importing countries. The cost of electricity largely depends on the weather patterns, industry and government regulations, government subsidies, and price of the type of fuel used when generating power. In North America, the city whose residents pay more in electricity bills is San Francisco. According to Hydro Quebec, the residents of San Francisco have been paying high bills for over five years. Some of the North American cities which pay more for electricity include:

10. Chicago - 15.10

With a population of over 2.7million people, Chicago is the 3rd most populated city and the most inhabited in Midwestern and Illinois states. Chicago is the international hub for industry, commerce, transportation, commerce, and technology. The total amount of electricity consumption per month in Chicago decreased from 210,000kwh/month in 2016 to 129,000kwh/month which reflects the decrease in the average price of electricity per month. The average cost of electricity reduced from 15.19¢/kWh to 15.10¢/kWh

9. Nashville - 15.19

Situated along the Cumberland River, Nashville is the most populous and the capital city of Tennessee. The electric power board of Tennessee approved an increase of electricity rate by up to 8.5%. The average price of electricity of Nashville increased from 15.19¢/kWh which is a 6.4% increase. The total amount of consumed power per month increased from 198,000kwh/month to 215,000kwh/month. The Nashville electricity board blames the sharp increase in price to the colder weather conditions.

8. Regina - 15.94

Regina is the second largest and the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Other than the Wascana Creek, Regina has very few natural features. The monthly electricity consumption of Regina is 228,000kwh/month on April 1, 2017, which is a 3.64% increase. The average electricity cost per month in Regina is 16.15¢/kWh in 2017.

7. Halifax - 16.15

Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, is the economic center in Atlantic Canada with a majority of the government services concentrated in the city. The central commercial generators and employers in the town include Halifax Shipyard, Saint Mary’ and Dalhousie universities among others. The average cost of electricity in Halifax is 16.15¢/kWh in 2017 which was a 1.7% increase.The consumption rate per month increased from 220,000kwh/month to 228,000kwh/month in 2017.

6. Toronto - 16.32

With a population of 2, 731,571, Toronto the capital of Ontario province is the fourth biggest North American city by population and the sixth when it comes to the average electricity price. Although Ontario province produces more power than what the area consumes, the government is locked in a contract to purchase the electricity from the producing company. In fact, the United States imports a bigger percentage of this electricity at a price lower than the production price. The amount of power consumed in Toronto decreased from 246,000kwh/month to 231kwh/month in 2017 while the average rate fell by 8.4% to 16.32¢/kWh.

5. Charlottetown - 16.42

Charlottetown city is the biggest and capital of Prince Edward Island in Canada with a population of over 36,094. Charlottetown was incorporated in 1855. The Island Regulatory & Appeals Commission approved a three years electricity cost increase of 2.3% every March which started in 2016. The amount of electricity used in Charlottetown surpassed Ottawa and Toronto in 2017 with a 4.5% increase to 232,000kwh/month. The average price of power in the city increased from 16.02¢/kWh to 16.42¢/kWh in 2017 thus making it the highest paying city in Canada.

4. Detroit - 21.22

Detroit is the most heavily populated city in Michigan, and it is the largest city in the Canada-United States border and Wayne County. The primary source of electricity in Michigan has been coal for more than a century, and the closure of most of the state’s coal plants might increase the price of electricity rate in the Bolton in the coming years. In fact, in 2014 Michigan produced about 50% of the electricity consumed in the city from coal. The price of the average residential electricity rate increased from 16.20¢/kWh in 2014 to 21.22¢/kWh in 2017 which is a 31% increase, while their consumption increased by 31.3% to 300,000kwh/month in 2017.

3. Boston - 28.45

With a population of over 673,184 people as at 2016, Boston is the most populous municipality in Massachusetts and the New England region of the United States. Massachusetts generated about 5.8% of the electricity used in the state from coal and 66% from Natural gas. The average price of power consumed in Boston increased by 2.67% to 28.45¢/kWh in 2017. The total amount of electricity consumed in the city increased from 383,000kwh/month in 2016 to 402.000kwh/month which is a 4.96% increase.

2. New York - 29.67

New York is one of the most heavily populated cities in the United States with a population of approximately 8,537,673, who are the second largest electricity consumers among the northern American cities. New York has one hundred and eighty hydroelectric plants which produce about 19% of the power used in the state. On average the residential customers of New York consumed approximately 409,000kwh/month as at April 2017, which is a 2.67% increase.The average cost of residential electricity rate in New York increased from 29.52¢/kWh to 29.67¢/kWh on April 1, 2017.

1. San Francisco - 31.05

The average electricity rate for the San Francisco residence is way higher than the average commercial electricity rate and the average industrial electricity rate. The Pacific Gas and electricity company announced the changes in utility bills structure which saw an increase in the monthly bill for residential clients by 2.1%. The Pacific Gas and Electricity firm announced that the customers using less electricity would end up paying more than the ones consuming more power. According to Pacific Gas and Electricity Company, San Francisco uses about 18,000-megawatt hour per day. The average residential electricity rate in the city was 31.05¢/kWh as at April 1, 2017, which has not changed since 2016. Although the consumption rate increased from 430,000kwh in 2016 to 439,000kwh in 2017, the average electricity rate remained the same thus making San Francisco the highest electricity consuming city in North America.