Virginia · EIA and NREL data · checked October 12, 2026
Virginia electricity rates, solar output by town, and a payback calculator
Residential electricity prices for Dominion, Appalachian Power and every other utility that reports to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar output for 260 Virginia towns from NREL's PVWatts, and a calculator that gives the year a solar system pays for itself at your rate.
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17.55¢
VA residential rate
July 2026, EIA (prelim.)
+11.2%
vs. a year earlier
July 2025: 15.78¢
18.31¢
US average
same month, all states
1,366
kWh per kW per year
median Virginia roof, PVWatts
Rates
Virginia electricity rates, 2016 to July 2026
Virginia's average residential price was 10.59¢ per kWh in January 2016 and 17.55¢ in July 2026, from EIA's monthly sales data. Every payback estimate depends on where this price goes next, so the calculator lets you set the growth rate yourself.
Virginia rate trackerBy utility
Electricity rates by Virginia utility, 2025
A kilowatt-hour from APCo cost 36% more than one from NOVEC in 2025, so the same system pays back years sooner at the higher rate. Each utility page has its ten-year price history, customer count, counties served and the payback for an average home at that price.
Solar output
Solar production by Virginia city, kWh per kW per year
-
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach City
1,454
kWh per kW per year
-
Chesapeake
Chesapeake City
1,422
kWh per kW per year
-
Norfolk
Norfolk City
1,452
kWh per kW per year
-
Richmond
Richmond City
1,363
kWh per kW per year
-
Newport News
Newport News City
1,422
kWh per kW per year
-
Alexandria
Alexandria City
1,398
kWh per kW per year
-
Hampton
Hampton City
1,453
kWh per kW per year
-
Roanoke
Roanoke City
1,306
kWh per kW per year
Guides
Virginia solar guides
Is solar worth it?
Payback for an average home at each major Virginia utility, from the latest EIA prices and NREL sun data. Updates automatically.
Why rates are rising
What the EIA price series shows since 2015, and the wholesale, data-center and grid costs behind it.
How to read your bill
Customer charge, distribution, generation, riders and the co-op power-cost adjustment, and the division that gives your real rate.
Roof direction, tilt and shade
How much each factor changes production, with PVWatts figures for Virginia.
About the site
Who runs this site and where the numbers come from
GoSolarVA is run by a Virginia solar installer (details). The data is public, the formulas are on the methodology page, and the calculator applies the same assumptions to every visitor, including when the result is a break-even year beyond 25.