Being from Canada I don't know for sure, but is your Hydro governed by the individual States.

It may be that it has something to do with the cost of producing electricity. Some States may have cheaper production costs

Does that include delivery costs? Fees? Taxes? All of that is variable as is the cost of electricity.

Check out this program we have in IL - you get real time pricing of electricity (and on the site you can see what you are paying per KWH at the exact moment)...we love it so far and have saved a bundle! I believe it is the only program out there like this so far.

Here is a link that might be useful: Residential Real Time Pricing Program

Our rates in ND is not too bad. They use a combination of wind power, coal and water. The coal produces very little contamination to the air because when they built the plant many years ago, the stuff that goes into the air, goes into the ground. Also, it is on the surface and when they are done, the land is turned back into farming products.
Ca is high because of what happened many years ago when the wind farms went in. The two major companies PGE and SCE were ordered to buy only from the wind farms, and that money went out of state. Up to then SCE could buy from anyone--wind, water etc so they could keep the rates down.

Real time pricing sounds good on paper, but it favors the monopoly supplier. They tell you when the rates are going to change or go above your threshold and you have to react. That seems overly complicated, especially when most people do not want to spend time programming their machines around the latest electric rates. California got burned with deregulated electricity, and variable (spot) pricing has similar perils.

It would be simpler just to have fixed rates for certain times of the day. They already know when the load is going to be high or low based on the time of day and average weather conditions.

Our current rates are $.13/kWh in SW Indiana including taxes. Taxes are 7%, so $.121/kWh without taxes. No other fees are added. To make this comparison fair, I checked our June '09 bill and the rate is $.118/kWh. That is 22% higher than the average rate for Indiana from the EIA for June '09. I can't really explain the difference, because most all of our electricity comes from low priced coal. In fact, the utility owns the coal mine and subcontracts out the strip mining and delivery. Our utility does buy some wind power form NW Indiana, and even though it is a small %, that may account for the difference. We also pay a CEO a ridiculous 2 million+ a year for running the monopoly, and that may also account for the higher than average rates.

>>Ca is high because of what happened many years ago when the wind farms went in. The two major companies PGE and SCE were ordered to buy only from the wind farms, and that money went out of state. >>

On the contrary, electrical rates by PG&E went up when they declared bankruptcy. They do not buy "only" from wind farms, but from a variety of sources, including hydroelectric, natural gas-fired, and nuclear.

Excerpt from Wiki:
"Bankruptcy
With little generating capacity of its own, and unable to sell electricity to consumers for more than it could buy it on the open market, PG&E was forced to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy April 6, 2001. The State of California bailed out the utility, the cost of which worsened an already bad state budget situation. This played an important part in the eventual recall of California Governor Gray Davis.

PG&E emerged from bankruptcy in April 2004, after distributing $10.2 billion to hundreds of creditors. Its 4.8 million electricity customers are expected to pay an average $1,300 to $1,700 each in above-market prices through 2012.

PG&E was one of the most profitable companies on the Fortune 500 list for 2005 with $4.5 billion in profits out of $11 billion in revenue."

Here in NY our electric is through the roof. very expensive

I believe the WV rates are so low because of all the coal producing plants that are there along with the ready supply of coal.

I can only speak for Indiana, but one reason our utility's rates are the highest in IN is because they have put in all the latest scrubbers. Other providers like Duke Energy have not yet fully scrubbed their stacks and when this happens their rates will go up to. I suspect this is also part of the reason for WV and KY having such low rates. BTW, our utility owns its own strip coal mine that is within 20 miles of our power plant. The mining and hauling is subbed out to a non-union contractor. Theoretically, our rates should be low. Unfortunately, our utility is a private corporation and that makes a difference.

A recent article in USA Today about Nebraska said that the state is friendly for manufacturers because it has electric rates 20% below its neighbors. This is because all power plants are run by the Nebraska Public Power District which is a PUBLIC corporation. No stockholders to pay dividends to, no inflated CEO pay package, etc. Also, Nebraska is close to inexpensive and relatively clean (can coal really be clean?) Wyoming Powder River Basin coal.

All I know is that electric rates from many coal fired power plants/utilities will be going up in the future. Try to do all you can to conserve electricity and save some money, or at least stop the bill from going up any higher.

I live in California. I don't know what world some of you people live in, but do you ever read a newspaper or listen to the news. California had strict regulations on electric power then the state government was convinced by the suppliers that deregulation would be great and prices would fall because of competition. The state legislators deregulated and we ended up having to buy our power from Enron. Ever hear of Enron or Ken Lay? Ever hear about electricity going on the Enron grid and being parceled out to the highest bidder and the contrived blackouts and brownouts? PG&E went bankrupt because of deregulation and the artifically high rates they had to pay after deregulation. There was a trial and everything with several states recooping a portion of what was embezzled from them. Of course, not all the money was recovered and the California taxpayer ended up on the hook. And then there are the free market pundits who blame the whole thing on wind power. Get a clue.

I am in South Ga at he moment the average power bill for the house I am staying in is $350/month. WHAT!?

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Elevators

It must be an average. My parents live in Salem, Oregon and pay $.10 a kwh. I live in LaPine, Oregon and pay $.05 kwh. We're on a co-op which is historically cheaper than going with the "big" companies.

wow, 350.00/mo I won't be complaining about our winter bills of 55.00 & summer bills (w/ac) of 125.00.

WV and KY are coal-producing states, which helps keep rates low. They also have a number of electric-coops, which also keep costs to a minimum. Having lived in KY, WV, IN, OH, and KS, I am very glad to have the rates here in Kentucky. I live in a 34 year old trailer, all-electric, original ovens/stove, furnace/air conditioner, two upright refrigerator/freezers. Water heater is 9 years old. No trees for shade, poor insulation, and windows that are horrible. My monthly electric bill averages $130 month, year round, and much of that is due to heating costs in the winter months. I am building a new 1000 square foot home with sprayed-on insulation, low-E windows, white metal roof, heat pump, ceiling fans in each room, Energy-Star appliances throughout. I expect my monthly electric bill to drop to about $75/month, maybe lower. I guess I shouldn't complain.
Larry