West Virginia Electricity Rates
Rate data for West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
No. West Virginia 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 West Virginia Public Service Commission, and the rate you pay depends on which utility serves your address, your rate schedule, and the season.
Grid operator: PJM Interconnection. 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.
West Virginia has no retail supplier choice and no blanket winter shutoff ban; instead state law caps a residential deposit at one-twelfth of your estimated annual bill and the PSC forbids disconnection on any day the forecast calls for 32°F or colder, while coal-heavy generation (the nation's highest CO2 intensity per EIA) and a string of 2025–2026 PSC rate 'experiments' mean your bill is set by regulators, not by shopping.
Who will deliver your power in West Virginia
The utility is fixed by your address. These are the largest in the state, with what each says it needs from a new customer.
Appalachian Power (AEP)investor-owned
Headquartered in Charleston, W.Va., it serves 57 counties across West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee; AEP's Ohio and Marshall County (Northern Panhandle) service area is also managed by Appalachian Power (see Wheeling Power below). About roughly 1.1 million homes, businesses and organizations across all three states (per source); the West Virginia-only count is not stated.
Start online (residential only) with your service address or 7-to-10-digit meter number and a desired start date; giving a Social Security number is optional, but if you skip it or credit cannot be verified a deposit or other security is required, and even with it a deposit may still apply. Deposits are 'normally required' from new customers, sized by heat type or the address's usage history (no dollar amounts published); in West Virginia the deposit earns interest at a PSC-set rate once held 12 months and is refunded after 12 consecutive on-time bills, with a letter of credit from a prior utility (12 months on-time) as the only listed alternative. No lead time is stated; help line 800-956-4237.
Start service with Appalachian Power →Sources: appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com
Mon Power (Monongahela Power Co., FirstEnergy)investor-owned
FirstEnergy's West Virginia utility, listed with Potomac Edison under FirstEnergy's 'West Virginia / Maryland' customer-service region; the utility pages read do not list its counties.
FirstEnergy says the online start form may need 'a minimum of two business days' to process and to call the Customer Care Center (Mon Power 1-800-686-0022, weekdays 8 a.m.–6 p.m.) for faster service; you need the service address or meter number, a Social Security Number or Taxpayer ID, and a start date, and you get a new account number rather than the previous occupant's. A security deposit is required in West Virginia if you do not meet its credit-score requirements or have an unpaid final bill or written-off account; it earns interest at a yearly PSC-ordered rate credited monthly and is refunded after 12 consecutive months of on-time payment (no more than two late payments, no shutoff for nonpayment).
Start service with Mon Power →Sources: firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com
Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy)investor-owned
FirstEnergy utility serving parts of both West Virginia and Maryland (listed under FirstEnergy's 'West Virginia / Maryland' region); its site carries separate Maryland and West Virginia sections, each with its own assistance programs and tariff, and the pages read do not list its counties.
Same FirstEnergy move-in process as Mon Power: online form needs a minimum of two business days, or call Potomac Edison at 1-800-686-0011 (weekdays 8 a.m.–6 p.m.) for faster processing, with address or meter number, SSN or Taxpayer ID, and start date. West Virginia deposit, interest and 12-month refund rules are the same as FirstEnergy's Mon Power terms above.
Start service with Potomac Edison →Sources: firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com
Wheeling Power (AEP)investor-owned
AEP's Northern Panhandle service area covering Ohio County and Marshall County, managed by Appalachian Power with employees based in Wheeling; regulated jointly with Appalachian Power in PSC rate cases.
Northern Panhandle customers use Appalachian Power's website and My Account to start service, with dedicated customer service at 1-800-852-6942; the same APCo start-service and West Virginia deposit terms apply. The standalone wheelingpower.com domain did not resolve when checked (DNS failure), so APCo's pages are the live source.
Start service with Wheeling Power →Sources: appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com, psc.state.wv.us
Harrison Rural Electrification Association (HREA)cooperative
Member-owned co-op in north-central West Virginia serving homes, farms and businesses in Harrison, Doddridge, Marion, Taylor, Barbour, Upshur and Lewis counties.
New residential members complete the New Residential Member Application and bring it to the office (600 Market Place, Suite 104, Bridgeport; 304-624-6365; Mon–Fri 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.) with a lease or purchase agreement, a valid photo ID and a Social Security card. A membership fee, application fee and security deposit are due at application (amounts not published on the page), payable by cash, check, money order or card.
Start service with Harrison Rural Electrification Association →Sources: harrisonrea.com, harrisonrea.com
Deposits, ID, and supplier choice in West Virginia
Deposits. By statute and PSC rule 150-3-4, a residential deposit may not exceed one-twelfth of the estimated annual charge for service; it earns simple interest at a Commission-set rate (based on one-year Treasury bill averages) and must be refunded automatically with interest after 12 consecutive months of non-delinquent bills, and the utility may accept a guaranty agreement from a financially responsible guarantor instead of cash. (law.cornell.edu)
Choosing a supplier. None: FirstEnergy's West Virginia page states 'West Virginia has not implemented Customer Choice at this time,' so every household buys generation and delivery from its local utility at PSC-approved rates.
Under PSC rule 150-3-4 a bill is delinquent after 30 days, written shutoff notice must be postmarked at least 10 days ahead, and service cannot be cut off on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on a day the utility cannot accept payment, or on any day the National Weather Service predicts 32°F or colder at the service location; during the Nov. 1–Mar. 31 'Seasonal Time Period' the utility must make three personal-contact attempts including an on-site visit, and must restore service within eight hours of payment. Disputes go first to the utility, then to the PSC's informal complaint line (1-800-642-8544, weekdays 8–5), while the independent Consumer Advocate Division (304-558-0526) represents residential customers in rate cases.
Sources: law.cornell.edu, code.wvlegislature.gov, firstenergycorp.com, psc.state.wv.us, cad.state.wv.us
Help paying an electric bill in West Virginia
LIEAP — Low Income Energy Assistance Program (West Virginia)
West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (Division of Family Assistance Policy), through DoHS field offices, Community Action agencies and Agency on Aging offices
Households whose countable monthly income is at or below the FY2027 limits (for example $2,550 for one person, $4,904 for four, plus $710 per additional person); eligibility also depends on how heat is paid for and total heating costs. LIEAP runs 'for a short time each winter' (Mon Power says it typically opens in February; the LIHEAP Clearinghouse shows the FY2026 online application opened Feb. 6, 2026) and applications are taken online at WV PATH, in person, or by mail, with a one-time Emergency LIEAP payment for households about to lose their heat source.
Sources: bfa.wv.gov, liheapch.acf.gov, firstenergycorp.com
20% Utility Discount (Special Reduced Rate Service Program)
West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance
A 20% discount on electric bills from November through March (gas bills too, and American Water bills year-round) for SNAP recipients over age 60, recipients of 'Social Security Income' over age 18, and WV WORKS recipients who meet the LIEAP income limits; applications are mailed automatically in October, and anyone missed can contact their county DoHS office.
Source: bfa.wv.gov
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
West Virginia Department of Economic Development, Community Advancement and Development (CAD), delivered by local Community Action Agencies
West Virginia households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (effective April 8, 2025: $31,300 for one person, $64,300 for four, plus $11,000 per additional member), prioritized by high energy burden or use with extra points for members 60+, with disabilities, or children 18 and under. Apply through the Community Action Agency for your county (all 55 counties covered) or online at mylitt.com; the state CAD office (800-982-3386) funds the agencies and does not take individual applications.
Source: wvcad.org
Dollar Energy Fund and Emergency Assistance Program (Mon Power / Potomac Edison WV)
Dollar Energy Fund (hardship grants) and West Virginia DHHR/DoHS county offices (Emergency Assistance Program), listed by FirstEnergy
Dollar Energy Fund gives residential customers with a recent financial hardship temporary bill help, opening October 1 until funds run out (800-683-7036); the Emergency Assistance Program makes a one-time payment for customers who present a disconnect notice at a county DHHR office (304-558-0684). FirstEnergy also lists an extended due date for customers 60+ or on Social Security, pension or disability, payment arrangements, and medical certification, which under WV PSC rules 'will not delay or prohibit disconnection' (a standard payment agreement on the past-due balance is what delays termination).
Sources: firstenergycorp.com, firstenergycorp.com
Neighbor to Neighbor (Appalachian Power / Wheeling Power)
Appalachian Power, administered by Dollar Energy Fund
A customer-funded hardship program for Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia customers that applies a grant directly to the electric bill to prevent disconnection or restore service; apply in person at a local community agency found through hardshiptools.org (eligibility criteria and grant amounts are not published). Appalachian Power also offers an Average Monthly Payment plan, a one-time payment extension and extended payment agreements through 800-956-4237.
Sources: appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com, appalachianpower.com
Programs that change what you pay
- Rooftop solar (net metering)limited
- W. Va. Code §24-2F-8 lets utilities offer net metering first-come, first-served up to 3% of aggregate peak demand (0.5% reserved for residential) and requires the PSC to set a 'fair value' credit that does not shift costs within a class; in its late-August 2025 Appalachian Power/Wheeling Power order the PSC approved a new net metering tariff ending one-to-one retail crediting for new customers, with a March 1, 2026 deadline to apply under the old arrangement and completion certificates due Sept. 1, 2026 (residential).
Sources: code.wvlegislature.gov, herald-dispatch.com
- Community solarlimited
- No third-party community-solar program appears on the utility or PSC pages read; the utility-run options are Mon Power's West Virginia Solar Program (solar credits at $2 per 50 kWh block per month, 50–1,000 kWh, subject to PSC approvals; 1-800-505-7283) and Appalachian Power's West Virginia Green Pricing RECs ($0.90 per 100 kWh block for solar or wind, $0.30 for hydro).
Sources: firstenergycorp.com, appalachianpower.com
- Time-of-use rateslimited
- Appalachian Power's residential time-varying option in West Virginia is the EV-only Off-Peak rate (Tariff RS-PEV): 12.9¢/kWh for charging 8 p.m.–6 a.m. weekdays and all day weekends/holidays versus 17.6¢/kWh standard, with a 5.11¢/kWh daytime surcharge, requiring an AMI house meter and a second meter base installed by your electrician (meter base and EV meter supplied free, no sign-up fee).
Source: appalachianpower.com
Questions people ask before moving to West Virginia
How far ahead should I set up electricity before moving to West Virginia?
Mon Power and Potomac Edison say their online start form may need a minimum of two business days to process and that calling the Customer Care Center is faster, while Appalachian Power publishes no lead time and asks only for your address or meter number and a desired start date. Harrison REA requires an in-person application with ID, a Social Security card and your lease or purchase agreement.
Sources: firstenergycorp.com, appalachianpower.com, harrisonrea.com
Will I have to pay a deposit, and how much?
Appalachian Power says deposits are normally required from new customers unless an optional SSN credit check clears you, and FirstEnergy requires one when you fall below its credit-score requirements; neither publishes a dollar figure, but state law and PSC rule cap a residential deposit at one-twelfth of your estimated annual bill. Deposits earn PSC-set interest and are refunded after 12 consecutive on-time months.
Sources: appalachianpower.com, firstenergycorp.com, code.wvlegislature.gov, law.cornell.edu
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in West Virginia?
No. FirstEnergy's West Virginia page states the state 'has not implemented Customer Choice at this time,' so your rate is the PSC-approved tariff of whichever utility serves your address, and rate concerns go to the PSC through its separate rate-protest process (the informal-complaint line cannot address rates) rather than through a supplier switch.
Sources: firstenergycorp.com, psc.state.wv.us
What will a typical monthly electric bill be?
Appalachian Power's West Virginia rates effective Sept. 1, 2026 put a 1,000 kWh residential bill at $183.07 (2,000 kWh: $344.53), while the PSC's July 2026 Mon Power/Potomac Edison order moves the average residential bill from $137.86 to $145.52 across two steps (Aug. 1, 2026 and June 1, 2027). EIA's 2024 average retail price for the state was 11.05¢/kWh, 32nd among states.
Sources: appalachianpower.com, psc.state.wv.us, eia.gov
Can my power be shut off in winter, and where do I get help paying?
There is no blanket winter moratorium, but PSC rule 150-3-4 bars disconnection on any day the National Weather Service forecasts 32°F or colder, on weekends, holidays or days payment cannot be accepted, and from Nov. 1 to Mar. 31 requires three personal-contact attempts including an on-site visit before shutoff. LIEAP opens for a short window each winter (typically February) through WV PATH or your DoHS field office, the 20% Utility Discount runs November–March for qualifying SNAP, SSI and WV WORKS recipients, and Dollar Energy Fund (FirstEnergy) or Neighbor to Neighbor (Appalachian Power) hardship grants are applied for through local community agencies.
Sources: law.cornell.edu, bfa.wv.gov, firstenergycorp.com, appalachianpower.com
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.
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