Utilities listed
87
Tennessee, 2025
Homes counted
3.20 million
Residential customers
Average price
13.22 cents
Per kWh, Tennessee
Average bill
$156.03
Per month
Utilities serving Tennessee homes
| Utility | Type | Homes in TN | Cents per kWh | Monthly bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Electric Service | Municipal | 424,808 | 14.04 | $146.00 |
| Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) | Municipal | 385,015 | 13.24 | $151.19 |
| Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) | Cooperative | 311,520 | 12.47 | $161.57 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board | Municipal | 196,674 | 13.83 | $153.38 |
| City of Chattanooga | Municipal | 164,914 | 12.92 | $145.10 |
| Volunteer Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 105,248 | 13.08 | $158.32 |
| Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 101,734 | 13.76 | $197.71 |
| City of Clarksville | Municipal | 77,509 | 13.67 | $159.41 |
| Johnson City | Municipal | 72,729 | 13.22 | $156.46 |
| Duck River Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 71,969 | 13.59 | $187.71 |
| City of Lenoir | Municipal | 63,379 | 12.82 | $158.94 |
| Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 45,862 | 13.71 | $167.98 |
| Appalachian Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 44,280 | 13.58 | $171.42 |
| Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 43,847 | 13.72 | $181.40 |
| Kingsport Power | Investor-owned | 43,364 | 12.28 | $158.45 |
| Sevier County Electric System | Municipal | 36,001 | 12.06 | $141.60 |
| Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 33,315 | 13.77 | $160.49 |
| City of Greeneville | Municipal | 32,686 | 12.69 | $157.90 |
| City of Jackson | Municipal | 32,264 | 12.57 | $136.88 |
| Columbia Power System | Municipal | 32,032 | 12.73 | $141.30 |
| City of Dickson | Municipal | 31,000 | 13.00 | $164.87 |
| Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 30,743 | 12.83 | $175.54 |
| Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 30,485 | 14.24 | $172.36 |
| City of Bristol | Municipal | 30,081 | 11.54 | $149.60 |
| Caney Fork Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 29,863 | 13.60 | $162.40 |
| City of Cleveland | Municipal | 29,740 | 13.34 | $149.15 |
| Gibson Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 29,483 | 13.74 | $180.48 |
| City of Alcoa Utilities | Municipal | 28,498 | 12.99 | $159.96 |
| City of Clinton | Municipal | 26,320 | 13.66 | $166.61 |
| Holston Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 25,947 | 13.97 | $165.87 |
| Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 25,085 | 13.01 | $163.19 |
| City of Gallatin | Municipal | 23,744 | 12.79 | $136.96 |
| City of Elizabethton | Municipal | 23,381 | 12.30 | $143.05 |
| Powell Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 21,217 | 12.20 | $133.80 |
| City of LaFollette | Municipal | 20,083 | 14.33 | $156.98 |
| City of Newport | Municipal | 20,003 | 15.05 | $165.83 |
| Chickasaw Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 19,723 | 11.80 | $168.68 |
| Maryville Utilities | Municipal | 19,485 | 12.11 | $141.96 |
| City of Lawrenceburg | Municipal | 18,239 | 13.00 | $159.65 |
| City of Lexington | Municipal | 17,991 | 12.80 | $140.45 |
| Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 16,919 | 13.03 | $145.08 |
| City of Fayetteville | Municipal | 16,729 | 12.49 | $161.62 |
| Pickwick Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 16,595 | 13.42 | $167.70 |
| City of Paris | Municipal | 16,316 | 12.29 | $140.16 |
| City of Cookeville | Municipal | 16,182 | 11.85 | $116.53 |
| City of Oak Ridge | Municipal | 15,586 | 13.37 | $125.93 |
| Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys | Municipal | 15,323 | 12.29 | $164.58 |
| Plateau Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 14,323 | 14.04 | $137.79 |
| City of Morristown | Municipal | 13,571 | 13.40 | $146.44 |
| Loudon Utilities Board | Municipal | 12,846 | 12.24 | $156.09 |
| City of Pulaski | Municipal | 12,496 | 14.10 | $169.45 |
| Mountain Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 12,388 | 13.13 | $131.58 |
| Carroll County | Municipal | 12,348 | 12.66 | $156.69 |
| City of Rockwood | Municipal | 12,081 | 13.34 | $165.44 |
| Athens Utility Board | Municipal | 11,761 | 12.44 | $145.71 |
| City of Shelbyville | Municipal | 9,970 | 11.88 | $134.95 |
| City of Dyersburg | Municipal | 9,495 | 11.69 | $137.94 |
| City of Harriman | Municipal | 9,375 | 14.04 | $161.32 |
| Tullahoma Board-Public Utilities | Municipal | 9,324 | 11.72 | $136.54 |
| City of Dayton | Municipal | 9,149 | 12.55 | $136.18 |
Showing the 60 largest of 87. The rest are small municipal systems and cooperatives.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). Homes in TN counts only the customers in this state. Price and bill cover the utility's whole territory and bundled customers only. Delivery only means the utility carries power but does not sell it.
Who owns Tennessee's electric companies
| Type | Utilities | Homes in TN | Share of homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned utility | 2 | 43,365 | 1.4% |
| Municipal utility | 60 | 2,113,184 | 66.0% |
| Electric cooperative | 25 | 1,042,938 | 32.6% |
Each type is run differently. An investor-owned company answers to shareholders and a state commission. A municipal utility answers to a city. A cooperative answers to its members. That is why the same state can have very different prices and service from one address to the next.
What Tennessee utilities charge, by type
| Type | Utilities with a price | Average cents per kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned utility | 2 | 13.28 |
| Municipal utility | 60 | 13.27 |
| Electric cooperative | 25 | 13.26 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). Customer-weighted average of the prices utilities report for bundled residential service. It leaves out delivery-only customers and retail providers.
Outside the investor-owned companies, the largest municipal utility is Nashville Electric Service (424,808 homes), and the largest electric cooperative is Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) (311,520 homes).
Price differences between types come from costs, customer density and the way each type is financed, so a lower average does not decide which is better for your home.
Utilities with full profiles
These Tennessee utilities are among the 600 largest in the country, and each has a profile with its service area, reliability and rate options.
- ProfileNashville Electric Service425 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
- ProfileMLGW385 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
- ProfileMTE312 thousand homes. Cooperative.Open
- ProfileKnoxville Utilities Board197 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
- ProfileCity of Chattanooga176 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
- ProfileVolunteer Electric Cooperative105 thousand homes. Cooperative.Open
- ProfileCumberland Electric Membership Corporation102 thousand homes. Cooperative.Open
- ProfileCity of Clarksville78 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
- ProfileJohnson City73 thousand homes. Municipal.Open
How Tennessee compares
The statewide average residential price is 13.22 cents per kWh and the average bill is $156.03 a month. See the full breakdown, rankings and neighbors on the Tennessee electricity rates page. Among utilities with at least 10,000 bundled residential customers, average prices ran from 11.54 cents at City of Bristol to 16.21 cents at French Broad Electric Membership Corporation.
Can you switch electric companies in Tennessee?
Most households cannot choose. The company that serves your address is set by where you live. Regulation and complaints go through the Tennessee Public Utility Commission.
Find yours
Not sure which one serves you?
Tennessee electric company questions
Who is the largest electric company in Tennessee?
Nashville Electric Service serves the most residential customers in Tennessee, about 425 thousand homes in 2025 (EIA Form EIA-861).
How many electric utilities are there in Tennessee?
EIA lists 87 electric utilities with residential customers in Tennessee for 2025. Most households are served by a handful of the largest ones.
Which Tennessee utility has the lowest average price?
Among Tennessee utilities with at least 10,000 bundled residential customers, City of Bristol had the lowest average residential price in 2025 at 11.54 cents per kWh and French Broad Electric Membership Corporation had the highest at 16.21 cents. Prices reflect the utility's costs and customer mix, so a lower price does not mean better service.
Can I choose my electric company in Tennessee?
Usually not. Households in Tennessee buy electricity from the utility, municipal system or cooperative that serves their address.