Residents in Athens, GA who request quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace spend an average of $239 monthly on electricity. That adds up to $2,868 per year. A different way to look at it is that a typical Athens, GA resident uses 1,571 kWh of electricity per month and 18,852 kWh over the year.
(For what it’s worth: Athens, GA 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 Athens, GA is 15 ¢/kilowatt-hour (kWh)—roughly 23% 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).
Georgia’s electricity market is regulated, which means you can’t choose which company supplies your electricity. Instead, the state determines your electric utility company based on where you live. Georgia Power is the primary electricity supplier, covering most of the state.
As an Investor Owned Utility (IOU), Georgia Power is a private for-profit company regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission.
Some towns and cities in Georgia are served by municipally-owned, not-for-profit electric companies that aren't subject to the same requirements as IOUs. These municipal utilities may offer lower rates, but may not offer net billing benefits.
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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.
Most utility customers in Georgia have a time-of-use energy plan, which means you pay more during high-demand periods—that is, your rate varies throughout the day depending on demand. You can save money by completing high-energy-consuming activities like laundry or washing dishes during off-peak hours.
If you prefer more predictable payments, consider asking if your utility offers a fixed-rate plan. For example, Georgia Power has a FlatBill plan where you pay the same monthly amount for a year. After 12 months, the company adjusts the payment amount based on your usage from the past year.
How clean is the electricity in Georgia?
Due to the complexity of utility grids, it's not easy to get precise data regarding exactly where the energy that goes to your specific home comes from, but according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 55% of the electricity on Georgia’s utility grid comes from fossil fuels—primarily natural gas—as of August 2025.
Only about 12% comes from renewable sources. Given that well over half of the grid’s energy comes from fossil fuels, installing a home solar panel system in Georgia will almost always shrink your carbon footprint.
Some electricity suppliers—including Georgia Power—give you the option to pay a bit more so that most (or even all) of your electricity comes from renewable sources. If you’re unwilling or unable to go solar in Georgia but still want to reduce your carbon footprint, this is a great alternative. It just won’t save you any money in most cases.
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 Athens, GA homeowners who install them—and pay upfront—break even after an average of just 12.13 years. Then, the solar panels will continue to produce free electricity for years to come.
Does Georgia offer net metering?
When the sun is out, your solar panels will usually produce more electricity than your home needs at any given moment.
While Georgia no longer offers net metering, you can still take advantage of net billing, which lets you “sell” the surplus energy generated by your home solar panel system to your utility company.
Net billing differs slightly from net metering. With net billing, at least for Georgia Power customers, the value of surplus solar energy is based on the expenses your utility “avoids” paying by not sending as much electricity to your home (avoided cost rate), not what you pay (retail rates). Your credits are calculated in real-time as you produce electricity, instead of being tallied up at the end of the month.
To get the most benefit from your solar energy system, you can store any excess electricity it produces in a battery for later use. Otherwise, this electricity will go to the grid and will provide you with less benefit than if you used it or stored it yourself.
How much can you save with solar?
The Peach State’s rising electricity rates mean you can often save big when you go solar in Athens, GA.
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 Georgia
Current monthly electric bill | 10-year electricity cost | 20-year electricity cost | 30-year electricity cost |
|---|---|---|---|
$50 | $6,600 | $15,000 | $24,000 |
$100 | $13,000 | $29,000 | $49,000 |
$150 | $20,000 | $44,000 | $73,000 |
$200 | $26,000 | $58,000 | $97,000 |
$250 | $33,000 | $73,000 | $120,000 |
Assuming a 2% annual increase based on inflation and average annual electric rate increases in Georgia.
Let's assume you pay $239 for electricity monthly (the Athens, GA average) and that electricity prices increase by 2% annually. Let's also assume you buy your solar panel system upfront and that it costs you $34,000 before any available incentives.
In the first year with solar, you'll avoid spending $2,900 on electric bills. Over five years, you'll avoid $14,900; by 10 years, you'll have avoided $31,400. Solar panels are usually covered under warranty for 25 years—by then, you'll have avoided spending $91,900 on electric bills in Athens, GA.
The average payback period in Athens, GA is 12.13 years, so by this point, you've already broken even on your investment. When you subtract your upfront installation cost, you'll pocket $58,100 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 Athens, GA:
Elite InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.044 Reviews
Elite InstallerScreened & Verified4.5 /5.0525 Reviews
Advanced InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.04 Reviews
Approved InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.05 Reviews
Approved InstallerScreened & Verified4.7 /5.0624 Reviews
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