Residents in Bristol County, RI who request quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace spend an average of $244 monthly on electricity. That adds up to $2,928 per year. A different way to look at it is that a typical Bristol County, RI resident uses 891 kWh of electricity per month and 10,692 kWh over the year.
(For what it’s worth: Bristol County, RI 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 Bristol County, RI is 27 ¢/kilowatt-hour (kWh)—roughly 38% higher 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).
Rhode Island’s main utility companies include Rhode Island Energy, Pascoag Utility District, and Block Island Power Company.
Depending on where you live, your utility can be an Investor Owned Utility (IOU) or a Municipal Light Department. IOUs are privately held and benefit the shareholders, while municipalities are owned and run by the local government. Municipality service areas might have lower prices, but don’t always offer programs like net metering.
Rhode Island has a deregulated energy market, so you don’t have to stick with your utility’s prices. You can choose an electricity plan from a third-party supplier instead to secure a lower rate. This doesn’t change the utility that transmits and delivers your power, but you can shop around for better rates and potentially lower your bill.
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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 Rhode Island pay a fixed rate for each kWh used throughout the billing cycle. Some energy companies offer variable rate plans, such as time-of-use (TOU) rates or demand charges, where the price varies by the time of day or demand level. But these plans aren’t very common for residential customers in Rhode Island.
How clean is the electricity in Rhode Island?
While coal is no longer part of Rhode Island’s energy mix, about 91% of Rhode Island’s electricity grid is powered by natural gas, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data from August 2025. Only about 9% comes from renewable sources, so going solar in Rhode Island will almost certainly lower your carbon footprint.
If installing solar panels isn’t a good fit for you, some electric suppliers offer programs to offset your usage with renewable power. While these programs often come with a small fee, they’re still a great alternative for supporting clean energy.
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 Bristol County, RI homeowners who install them—and pay upfront—break even after an average of just 8.55 years. Then, the solar panels will continue to produce free electricity for years to come.
Does Rhode Island offer net metering?
The biggest utility companies in Rhode Island (Rhode Island Energy, Pascoag Utility District, and Block Island Power Company) offer net metering.
When your solar panels produce excess energy, you can send it to the grid and earn credits at the retail rate. These credits cover up to 100% of your monthly usage. Any extra energy sent to the grid (beyond covering your usage) is credited at the avoided cost rate, which is less than what you pay for electricity. The most you can earn is up to 125% of your usage.
Even with the compensation cap, net metering can have a big impact on your electric bill. By using your credits to offset the cost of using grid electricity, you can lower and even eliminate your monthly bill.
How much can you save with solar?
With rising electricity rates in the Ocean State, you can often save big by going solar in Bristol County, RI.
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 Rhode Island
Current monthly electric bill | 10-year electricity cost | 20-year electricity cost | 30-year electricity cost |
|---|---|---|---|
$50 | $7,700 | $21,000 | $43,000 |
$100 | $15,000 | $41,000 | $85,000 |
$150 | $23,000 | $62,000 | $130,000 |
$200 | $31,000 | $83,000 | $170,000 |
$250 | $38,000 | $100,000 | $210,000 |
Assuming a 5% annual increase based on inflation and average annual electric rate increases in Rhode Island.
Let's assume you pay $244 for electricity monthly (the Bristol County, RI average) and that electricity prices increase by 5% annually. Let's also assume you buy your solar panel system upfront and that it costs you $21,000 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 $16,300; by 10 years, you'll have avoided $37,600. Solar panels are usually covered under warranty for 25 years—by then, you'll have avoided spending $147,900 on electric bills in Bristol County, RI.
The average payback period in Bristol County, RI is 8.55 years, so by this point, you've already broken even on your investment. When you subtract your upfront installation cost, you'll pocket $127,400 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 Bristol County, RI:
Elite+ InstallerScreened & Verified4.3 /5.0123 Reviews
Elite InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.014 Reviews
Elite InstallerScreened & Verified4.6 /5.035 Reviews
Advanced InstallerScreened & Verified4.7 /5.051 Reviews
Approved InstallerScreened & Verified5.0 /5.0365 Reviews
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