Residents in Washington, DC who request quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace spend an average of $170 monthly on electricity. That adds up to $2,040 per year. A different way to look at it is that a typical Washington, DC resident uses 1,302 kWh of electricity per month and 15,624 kWh over the year.
(For what it’s worth: Washington, DC residents shopping for solar on EnergySage may use more electricity than a typical household.)
The easiest way to compare electricity costs across regions is to look at the electricity rate. In the U.S., residential rates generally range from 11 ¢/kWh all the way up to 34 ¢/kWh.
As of February 2026, the cost of electricity in Washington, DC is 13 ¢/kilowatt-hour (kWh)—roughly 34% lower than the national average cost. That number is based on real-world electric bills shared with EnergySage over the past 12 months. You can compare that number to the most recent average state electric price reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
In Washington D.C., the major utility company providing transmission and distribution is Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO), which is a privately-held Investor Owned Utility (IOU).
D.C.'s electricity market is deregulated, which means that while you can't choose another utility company, you can choose which company supplies your electricity. This can sometimes help you save on your electric bills. Just be sure to do your research, as suppliers may lock you into a certain rate for a period that may not be advantageous to you in the long run.
If you find a better plan, our partner WattBuy will contact your utility provider to switch you for free.
When you pay your electric bill, you’re not only covering the costs to produce that electricity, but also the costs of running and maintaining the electrical grid, as well as public benefit funds that promote things like renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Electric bill costs are rolled into fixed (monthly customer charges) and variable charges (¢/kWh that you use).
Fixed charges, like the flat fee for having a meter, generally remain the same monthly unless your utility makes a policy update.
Your variable charges will change every month and depend on your electricity rate and how much electricity you use.
Your electric bill's variable charges will include a supply (or generation) charge and a transmission and distribution (or delivery) charge. The supply charge covers the cost of electricity generation, while the transmission and distribution charges cover the cost of delivering it to your home.
In Washington D.C., homeowners can sign up through PEPCO for the Whole House time-of-use (TOU) Rate, which means you pay different rates per kWh depending on the time of day or season. For example, it encourages EV car owners to charge up during off-peak hours, such as nighttime. Demand charges are less common, but worth understanding.
How clean is the electricity in Washington D.C.?
It's hard to pin down exact numbers, but according to the EIA, about 53% of Washington D.C.’s electricity comes from renewable sources as of August 2025. By comparison, the national average is just over 20%, so D.C.’s energy is pretty clean. But, with about 47% of electricity coming from natural gas, you can still lower your carbon footprint by adding solar panels.
Depending on your electricity supplier, you can also sometimes opt to pay a little more each month to ensure more (or even all) of your electricity comes from renewable sources. If you're unable or unwilling to install solar panels at your home, then this is a great alternative to still reduce your carbon footprint. You typically won't save any money this way, though, unless you participate in certain municipal group-buy programs.
As long as you have a suitable roof, one of the surest ways to save on energy is to go solar—ideally with a vetted contractor offering a competitive price.
Solar panels will reduce or even eliminate your electric bills in the short term and protect you against rising electricity costs in the long run, too. The amount you save depends on how much you spend on electricity now and how much of your electric bill you can offset with solar energy.
Solar panels are a big investment, but Washington, DC homeowners who install them—and pay upfront—break even after an average of just 4.77 years. Then, the solar panels will continue to produce free electricity for years to come.
Does Washington D.C. offer net metering?
When the sun is shining on the nation’s capital, your solar panels will typically generate more than enough electricity to meet your home's needs at any given moment. But all that extra energy doesn't get wasted in Washington D.C.
PEPCO offers net metering, a solar buyback program that provides energy credits for all the solar power your panels send to the grid. Later, when you need to draw electricity from the grid (such as on cloudy days or at night), PEPCO deducts from your energy credits instead of charging you.
Under net metering, what matters is the total amount of energy you produce—not when you produce it. At the end of the month, you'll only be billed for the electricity you pulled from the grid, plus any fixed rates. Your energy credits roll over month-to-month and never expire. But in December, you usually have the option to cash out your credits from the preceding calendar year.
How much can you save with solar?
With excellent local incentives available, you can save big by going solar in Washington, DC.
Just take a look at how much you'll spend on electricity over time based on your current bill. It’s easy to see how going solar can pay off quickly.
Electricity cost over time in Washington D.C.
Current monthly electric bill | 10-year electricity cost | 20-year electricity cost | 30-year electricity cost |
|---|---|---|---|
$50 | $7,000 | $17,000 | $31,000 |
$100 | $14,000 | $34,000 | $62,000 |
$150 | $21,000 | $51,000 | $93,000 |
$200 | $28,000 | $68,000 | $120,000 |
$250 | $35,000 | $85,000 | $150,000 |
Assuming a 4% annual increase based on inflation and average annual electric rate increases in Washington D.C..
Let's assume you pay $170 for electricity monthly (the Washington, DC average) and that electricity prices increase by 4% annually. Let's also assume you buy your solar panel system upfront and that it costs you $33,000 before any available incentives.
In the first year with solar, you'll avoid spending $2,000 on electric bills. Over five years, you'll avoid $10,900; by 10 years, you'll have avoided $23,900. Solar panels are usually covered under warranty for 25 years—by then, you'll have avoided spending $79,500 on electric bills in Washington, DC.
The average payback period in Washington, DC is 4.77 years, so by this point, you've already broken even on your investment. When you subtract your upfront installation cost, you'll pocket $46,900 over 25 years with solar.
Your solar savings depend on you
How much your utility company charges for electricity is a big indicator of how much you'll save with solar. But your exact solar savings depend on your unique situation—including your energy usage, roof layout, system size, and how you pay for your system.
Here are some reasons your savings could be below average:
You don’t use much electricity, or your roof is small or has a less-than-ideal layout. You might have a relatively long payback period, so you'll save a little less over time.
You don't install enough solar panels to 100% offset your energy use. You’ll pay less up front but save less in the long run.
You finance your solar panel system with a loan or sign a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) instead of paying up front. These types of arrangements can make a lot of sense for keeping your capital flexible and will allow you to start saving sooner. But they will cut into your long-term savings.
Choosing a high-quality solar installer is the key to getting a top-notch solar panel system that will help you save on electric bills.
We pre-screen all solar companies on EnergySage to ensure they get the job done right. Here are the highest-rated EnergySage installers in Washington, DC:
Elite+ InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.0151 Reviews
Elite+ InstallerScreened & Verified4.8 /5.0362 Reviews
Advanced InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.0545 Reviews
Approved InstallerScreened & Verified4.9 /5.036 Reviews
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