Washington Electricity Rates
Rate data for Washington is being refreshed. The regulator and market facts below are current; figures return with the next data load.
Can you choose your electricity supplier in Washington?
No. Washington has not opened its residential electricity market to competition, so the utility that delivers your power also sells it. Its prices are set in rate cases before the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and the rate you pay depends on which utility serves your address, your rate schedule, and the season.
Grid operator: No RTO; Western bilateral market (WECC). Wholesale power costs flow through to retail bills on the regulator's schedule rather than month to month, which is why regulated-state rates move more slowly than the market-based states listed below.
Want to shop for a supplier? Retail choice is open on this site in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington DC.
You cannot shop for power in Washington and more than half of customers are served by city utilities and PUDs whose elected boards, not the state commission, set deposits and shutoff rules; the trade-off is hydro-fed rates among the nation's lowest (11.9 cents/kWh residential in 2024), while every electric utility must by law ensure low-income households have access to an energy assistance program, so a mover's real job is checking which utility owns the address and whether its deposit (from $0 at Seattle City Light to $200 at Tacoma Power) can be waived with a credit letter from the old utility.
Who will deliver your power in Washington
The utility is fixed by your address. These are the largest in the state, with what each says it needs from a new customer.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE)investor-owned
PSE's service area spans about 6,000 square miles, primarily in the Puget Sound region of Western Washington; EIA's 2024 table lists it as the state's largest electricity retailer, selling 11.46 million MWh to residential customers. About 1.26 million electric and nearly 900,000 natural gas customers (year-end 2025, per PSE).
PSE's start-service flow is an online account tool with a 'Start service' option for people new to the area, and its public pages do not state an ID, deposit or lead-time rule; as a UTC-regulated company, any deposit follows WAC 480-100-113 (see startService). PSE credits your bill $50 if it misses an appointment to install new service.
Start service with Puget Sound Energy →Seattle City Lightmunicipal
Publicly owned utility created by Seattle's citizens in 1902 that delivers electricity to the City of Seattle and neighboring suburbs across 131 square miles; its own hydroelectric dams supply about half the power its customers need. About over 503,000 customer premises; 419,601 residential and 50,779 non-residential customers (per City Light).
Start online or by calling Customer Care at (206) 684-3000 with the legal name of the renter or owner, the address, desired start date and billing contact details; identity verification uses credit-related security questions that do not affect your credit score. City Light does not require a deposit, charges a one-time administrative fee when starting service (amount not stated), and says renters should check with their property manager first because many handle connections for tenants.
Start service with Seattle City Light →Sources: seattle.gov, seattle.gov, seattle.gov
Snohomish County PUDpublic utility district
Serves 2,200 square miles including all of Snohomish County and Camano Island, and calls itself the second-largest publicly owned utility in the Pacific Northwest and the 12th largest in the nation; in 2025 the Bonneville Power Administration supplied 74.9% of its power. About 385,170 total customers, 349,916 of them residential (2025 year-end average, per the PUD).
Contact Customer Service (425-783-1000, Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm) ideally 1-2 business days before moving in with the service address, mailing address, phone number and a Social Security number to validate identity; customers who prefer not to give an SSN must apply in person with unexpired government-issued photo ID. A deposit may be required and is billed on the first invoice, is credited back after 12 months of excellent payment history, and new residential customers can request a waiver with a letter of excellent credit from another heating utility or a recent credit report; every start or transfer carries a $15 Account Service Charge.
Start service with Snohomish County PUD →Sources: snopud.com, snopud.com, snopud.com
Avista Utilitiesinvestor-owned
Avista provides electricity to nearly 403,000 customers across 30,000 square miles and four northwestern states from its Spokane base, with Washington, Idaho and Oregon welcome brochures for new customers; its Washington discount program lists Spokane, Whitman, Stevens, Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Klickitat, Lincoln, Pend Oreille and Skamania counties. About nearly 403,000 electric customers across all states (per Avista); Washington-only count not stated.
Avista says starting service online gets 'energy flowing to your new place in a few clicks of a mouse'; residential customers can also call (800) 227-9187, 7:00 am-6:00 pm Monday-Friday. The moving and new-customer pages do not state ID, deposit or lead-time rules; as a UTC-regulated company, deposits follow WAC 480-100-113 (see startService).
Start service with Avista Utilities →Sources: myavista.com, myavista.com, myavista.com, myavista.com
Clark Public Utilitiespublic utility district
Nonprofit Public Utility District providing electric service throughout Clark County (Vancouver area) in southwest Washington, with service centers in Vancouver and Orchards. About more than 240,000 electric customers (per Clark Public Utilities).
The online Start Service form takes your name, phone, email, date of birth, service address and the date you want service to start (today or a future date); Social Security numbers are required to start electric service, and anyone without one should call Customer Service first. A live representative answers 360-992-3000 24/7, service centers are open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, and the pages do not state deposit or lead-time rules.
Start service with Clark Public Utilities →Sources: clarkpublicutilities.com, clarkpublicutilities.com, clarkpublicutilities.com
Tacoma Power (Tacoma Public Utilities)municipal
Community-owned, not-for-profit utility publicly owned since 1893 serving Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, Fife, parts of Steilacoom and Lakewood, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and unincorporated Pierce County as far south as Roy (180 square miles); its energy supply is 82% hydroelectric and it is governed by a five-member Public Utility Board. About about 195,000 customers; 171,144 residential and 21,654 commercial (per Tacoma Power).
Residential customers should call 253-502-8600 or use MyAccount at least one business day in advance with the physical address where service is needed, a mailing address if different, and any authorized contacts (spouse/roommate); a non-refundable connection fee of up to $21.60 goes on the first bill, plus $60 for same-day requests made after 12 p.m. A power deposit of $200 for houses and 1-4 unit buildings ($100 in 5+ unit buildings) is due 30 days after service starts and refunded after 12 consecutive months of satisfactory payments, but is waived if you own the home, bring a letter of credit showing 12 months of good payment history from another utility, or the property owner signs an owner guarantee.
Start service with Tacoma Power →Deposits, ID, and supplier choice in Washington
Deposits. For UTC-regulated companies (PSE, Avista, Pacific Power), WAC 480-100-113 lets a utility require a residential deposit only from applicants who do not own or are not buying the premises, cannot show 12 consecutive months of continuous employment and have neither a job nor a regular source of income, owe an overdue residential balance to any electric or gas utility, or (at this or another electric utility) were sent three or more delinquency notices in the prior 12 months or were disconnected for nonpayment; the deposit is capped at two-twelfths of estimated annual billings (about two months' bills) for monthly-billed utilities, can be paid 50% up front and the rest in equal amounts over the next two months, can be avoided by prepaying service, furnishing a guarantor or giving a checkable reference from a similar utility, and is refunded with interest (3.54% for 2026) after 12 months with no more than two delinquency notices and no disconnection. A utility may not refuse service over a prior customer's debt at the address or over your own old unpaid balance once you pay the required deposit and reconnection fees (WAC 480-100-123). (app.leg.wa.gov)
Choosing a supplier. Washington has no residential supplier-choice program that any regulator page describes: the UTC 'regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington,' public utility districts set their own rates through locally elected commissioners, and EIA's 2024 ownership table counts just 115 customers statewide served by 'energy-only' providers against 3,800,681 total. The only statewide purchase option in law is RCW 19.29A.090, which requires each electric utility to offer its own retail customers a voluntary option to buy qualified alternative (green) energy resources, noticed at least quarterly on bills.
Your address decides your utility and whether state consumer rules apply: UTC deposit, notice and disconnection rules (WAC 480-100) bind only the investor-owned companies, while public power served 1,958,841 of Washington's 3,800,681 customers in 2024 (plus 192,301 at cooperatives) under their own boards, and 24 of the state's 28 PUDs provide electricity. UTC rules bar disconnection on Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays or any day service cannot be restored that day or the next, require a written notice at least eight business days ahead plus a second contact, allow a five-business-day medical postponement, and RCW 80.28.010 bars nonpayment shutoffs by electric companies on any day the National Weather Service has issued or intends to issue a heat-related alert.
Sources: app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov, wpuda.org, eia.gov
Help paying an electric bill in Washington
Washington State Department of Commerce, delivered by local community action agencies (Commerce does not determine eligibility, award grants or schedule appointments)
Washington households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level that have not received a LIHEAP grant in the current program year (October through September); you schedule an appointment with the LIHEAP provider for your county and bring proof of identity, residence, heating costs and income. The one-time heating grant is usually paid straight to your utility regardless of heat source, the program now includes cooling assistance, and it can refer you to Commerce's Weatherization Program.
Sources: commerce.wa.gov, acf.gov
Weatherization Program (Washington)
Washington State Department of Commerce, through local weatherization agencies
Homeowners and renters with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, 60% of state median income, or 80% of area median income; after an income check and a certified energy audit the agency installs cost-effective upgrades such as insulation, air sealing, ventilation and LED bulbs (it is not a window-replacement program).
Source: commerce.wa.gov
Winter Low-Income Payment Program (UTC-regulated electric utilities)
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission rule WAC 480-100-143 and RCW 80.28.010, carried out by PSE, Avista and Pacific Power with state-contracted community action agencies
Low-income customers (income within the state energy-assistance plan limit, self-certified to a Commerce grantee) who tell the utility within five business days of a delinquency notice that they cannot pay, apply for energy and weatherization assistance, and pay no more than 7% of monthly household income plus one-twelfth of current bills cannot have residential space-heating service disconnected from November 15 through March 15; all past-due amounts must be paid by October 15. The UTC's assistance page also lists Budget Billing (open to all), the five-business-day medical emergency protection, and the heat-alert shutoff ban.
Sources: app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov
PSE Bill Discount Rate (BDR) and Home Energy Lifeline Program (HELP)
Puget Sound Energy
Households with monthly net income at or below 80% of area median income or 200% of the federal poverty level, whichever is higher; BDR gives a 5-45% bill discount for a 13-month term and HELP a $250-$1,000 grant per October-September program year. One online application (5-10 minutes, most applicants need no income documents) covers both; questions to 888-225-5773 or billdiscount@pse.com.
Source: pse.com
Seattle City Light Utility Discount Program and Emergency Bill Assistance
Seattle City Light / City of Seattle (utilityassistance.seattle.gov)
The Utility Discount Program takes 60% off City Light bills (50% off Seattle Public Utilities) for account holders with 2026 gross monthly income up to $4,269 for one person, scaling to $11,821 for ten; the Emergency Bill Assistance Program pays up to $710 per calendar year ($1,420 with children under 18) toward a shutoff notice or a past-due balance of $250 or more, with income up to $4,878 for one person. Apply online or by paper application; Customer Care is (206) 684-3000, Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-6 PM.
Source: seattle.gov
Tacoma Power Discount Rate Program and Bill Credit Assistance Plan
Tacoma Public Utilities Customer Solutions Office
The Discount Rate Program gives adults over 62 or people receiving or qualifying for state/federal disability income a 35% discount on electricity, drinking water, solid waste, wastewater and stormwater with monthly household income up to $3,346 for one person ($4,775 for four); the Bill Credit Assistance Plan gives any income-qualified household (up to $4,458 for one, $6,367 for four) automatic monthly credits of $58.30 plus up to $44 more for full on-time payments, capped at $1,227.60 a year. Apply online or by mail with a copy of ID (driver's license, state ID, military ID, resident alien card, passport or tribal ID) for the account holder and every household member 22 or older, plus income verification for the month before you apply; Customer Solutions is 253-502-8400.
Source: mytpu.org
Snohomish County PUD Income-Qualified Discount Program
Snohomish County PUD
Electric and water rate discounts of 25% or 50% for households with income after deductions up to $31,920 a year for one person, $66,000 for four and $11,360 for each additional person, or through streamlined acceptance for anyone receiving DSHS benefits, free or reduced school lunch, or income-qualified housing. Apply online, on paper in English, Spanish or Ukrainian, or by calling 425-783-1000; approvals apply to future bills only.
Source: snopud.com
Avista My Energy Discount (Washington)
Avista Utilities
Households with gross income up to the greater of 200% of the federal poverty level or 80% of area median income (as of 10/01/2026, e.g., $5,158 a month for one person in Spokane County) get a two-year monthly discount in five income groups that, from November 1, 2026, ranges from 10% to 95% of eligible charges in winter (Nov-Apr) and 0% to 90% in non-winter months. Apply online, by mail, by calling (800) 227-9187, or in person through a local community action agency.
Sources: myavista.com, myavista.com
Pacific Power Low Income Bill Assistance (LIBA), Washington
Pacific Power with Blue Mountain Action Council, Northwest Community Action Center and OIC of Washington
Households with gross income at or below the higher of 200% of the federal poverty level or 80% of area median income (annual limits of $31,920 at 200% FPL or $54,350-$57,300 at 80% AMI for one person, depending on county) are placed in one of six discount levels for one year, or two years on a fixed income. Apply online, by calling 1-888-221-7070, by mail, or through the local agency; no paperwork or proof of income is required to apply, and Project HELP offers donation-funded grants.
Sources: pacificpower.net, pacificpower.net
Clark Public Utilities
The 12-month Guarantee of Service Plan reduces electricity payments to a percentage of monthly household income (call 360-992-3000 to see if you qualify); the Senior Citizen Rate Credit is for residents 62+ who have lived in Clark County at least a year with annual household income no more than $42,300; Operation Warm Heart gives donation-funded grants to customers with electric heat in financial crisis. LIHEAP appointments in Clark County are scheduled at 1-855-353-HEAT (4328).
Source: clarkpublicutilities.com
Clean Energy Transformation Act energy-assistance mandate (RCW 19.405.120)
Every Washington electric utility, with Department of Commerce reporting
State law (RCW 19.405.120, as amended in 2026) requires each electric utility to ensure that every low-income household has access to an energy assistance program, to demonstrate progress toward meeting energy assistance need, and, to the extent practicable, to give priority to low-income households with a higher energy burden; the Department of Commerce publishes biennial statewide energy-burden and assistance data.
Source: app.leg.wa.gov
Programs that change what you pay
- Rooftop solar (net metering)available
- RCW 80.60.020 requires every electric utility, consumer-owned or investor-owned, to offer net metering first-come, first-served until the earlier of June 30, 2029 or cumulative capacity reaching 4% of the utility's 1996 peak demand, with no extra standby or interconnection charges absent specific findings; under RCW 80.60.030 excess kWh carry forward as a credit on the next bill and any unused credits are granted to the utility without compensation on March 31 each year.
Source: app.leg.wa.gov
- Community solarlimited
- The UTC permits 'community solar companies' (individuals, firms or corporations, not utilities) that own solar projects of one megawatt in Washington and sell the output to paying customers, and publishes a consumer guide and a list of permitted companies; separately, PSE's about page announces its 14th Community Solar site with the Port of Bellingham, so availability depends on your utility.
Source: utc.wa.gov
- Time-of-use rateslimited
- PSE's Time-of-Use program is opt-in for residential electric Schedule 7 customers (pending eligibility), with all weekend and holiday hours counted as off-peak; Avista launched two Washington Time-of-Use pilot rates in June 2024 for a limited number of customers (one has winter weekday peaks of 6-9 am and 5-8 pm, the other 6-10 am and 5-9 pm), but enrollment ended May 31, 2025 and the pilot is fully subscribed.
Source: pse.com
Questions people ask before moving to Washington
How far ahead should I set up electricity before moving to Washington?
A day or two is enough at the big public utilities: Tacoma Power asks residential customers to call at least one business day ahead (same-day requests after 12 p.m. cost $60 extra), Snohomish County PUD says ideally 1-2 business days before move-in, Seattle City Light notes a new account number can take a few hours to be recognized, and Clark Public Utilities lets you pick today or a future date online with 24/7 phone support. PSE and Avista route moves through online start-service tools and do not publish a lead time, though PSE credits $50 if it misses a new-service appointment.
Sources: mytpu.org, snopud.com, seattle.gov, clarkpublicutilities.com, pse.com, myavista.com
Will I have to pay a deposit to turn on power in Washington?
It depends on the utility: Seattle City Light requires no deposit, Tacoma Power charges $200 ($100 in 5+ unit buildings) unless you own the home, bring a 12-month letter of credit from another utility or your landlord signs an owner guarantee, and Snohomish County PUD may bill a deposit on your first invoice but waives it for a letter of excellent credit from another heating utility or a recent credit report showing an excellent score. At PSE, Avista and Pacific Power, UTC rule WAC 480-100-113 caps any deposit at about two months' bills, lets you pay half up front, and refunds it with 3.54% interest (2026) after 12 months of prompt payment.
Sources: seattle.gov, mytpu.org, snopud.com, app.leg.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in Washington?
No: your address assigns you one utility, the UTC regulates only the private investor-owned companies (PSE, Avista, Pacific Power), publicly owned utilities (PUDs, whose elected commissioners set their rates, plus city utilities such as Seattle and Tacoma) serve more than half the state's customers, and EIA counted only 115 customers statewide served by energy-only providers in 2024. The one choice state law gives everyone is a voluntary green-power purchase option from your own utility (RCW 19.29A.090).
Sources: utc.wa.gov, wpuda.org, eia.gov, app.leg.wa.gov
How much does electricity cost in Washington, and why are winter bills high?
Washington's residential average was 11.9 cents/kWh in 2024 (10.13 cents all sectors, 39th highest of the states) and 14.71 cents in July 2026 against a U.S. average of 18.31, with EIA placing the state among the top one-fourth with the lowest prices thanks to hydropower that supplied 59% of 2024 generation. Almost three in five Washington households heat with electricity, so Snohomish County PUD warns a typical January bill can be double or more a July bill.
Sources: eia.gov, eia.gov, eia.gov, eia.gov, snopud.com
Can my power be shut off in winter or during a heat wave in Washington?
At UTC-regulated utilities, RCW 80.28.010 and WAC 480-100-143 bar disconnection of residential heating service from November 15 through March 15 for low-income customers who enroll in a payment plan capped at 7% of monthly income, and bar nonpayment shutoffs on any day the National Weather Service has issued or intends to issue a heat-related alert; a doctor's certificate also buys a five-business-day postponement, and no disconnections happen on weekends or holidays. Public utilities write their own rules, so ask yours: Tacoma Power points customers to Winter Protection Programs through the Metropolitan Development Council or Pierce County Human Services.
Sources: app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, utc.wa.gov, mytpu.org
Researched 2026-10-16 from utility, regulator, and agency pages; every statement links to where it was read. Rules change: confirm deposits and program dates with the utility or agency before you rely on them.
Every state ranked by residential rate, updated weekly: Electricity Rates by State →