East Central Energy electricity rates
Electric cooperative · Minnesota · MRO region
East Central Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative, so its customers own it and elect its board, serving 55,839 homes in Minnesota. Its residential customers pay an average of 17.91¢/kWh including fixed and delivery charges, 0% less than the U.S. average.
Rate basis: EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07.
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East Central Energy bill estimates
| Monthly use | At average all-in rate |
|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $89.55 |
| 1,000 kWh | $179.10 |
| 1,500 kWh | $268.65 |
| 2,000 kWh | $358.20 |
East Central Energy residential rate plans
| Plan | Effective | Customer charge | Energy charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residentialtime-of-use | 2017-03-01 | $28.75 | 14.4¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residentialtime-of-use | nan | $25.14 | 13.8¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residentialtime-of-use | nan | $25.14 | 13.8¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
Source: OpenEI U.S. Utility Rate Database. Rates change. Check the linked tariff or your bill for current figures.
East Central Energy rate history
2015–2025: +16% change in the average residential rate (15.17¢ → 17.63¢). Annual EIA-861 data.
Outages & reliability
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Reliability history
| 2025 | East Central Energy | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outage minutes per customer (SAIDI) | 97 | 188 | 266 |
| Outages per customer (SAIFI) | 1.03 | 1.17 | 1.34 |
| Average restoration time (CAIDI) | 94 min | — | — |
| Outage minutes excluding major storms | 82 | 92 | 121 |
Outages in counties served (2025)
From ORNL EAGLE-I, which tracks customers without power every 15 minutes. These counts cover every utility in each county. Weighted across East Central Energy's counties, customers averaged 5 hr 4 min without power.
| County | Outage min/customer | Days with outages | Peak customers out | Worst day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin | 848 | 88 | 3,255 | 2025-06-23 |
| Washington | 496 | 54 | 28,463 | 2025-07-29 |
| Chisago | 307 | 47 | 3,515 | 2025-05-15 |
| Morrison | 202 | 41 | 4,392 | 2025-06-29 |
| Pine | 186 | 49 | 2,560 | 2025-01-21 |
| Benton | 139 | 34 | 2,191 | 2025-04-05 |
| Kanabec | 108 | 15 | 1,077 | 2025-05-16 |
| Sherburne | 68 | 23 | 2,362 | 2025-04-04 |
| Isanti | 64 | 21 | 3,099 | 2025-04-07 |
| Mille Lacs | 50 | 9 | 562 | 2025-06-17 |
East Central Energy service area
East Central Energy serves 10 counties in Minnesota and 50 ZIP codes.
Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Washington
Cities: Saint Cloud, Forest Lake, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, East Bethel, North Branch, Cambridge, Isanti, Chisago City, Princeton, Scandia, Columbus, Mora, Pine City, Rush City, Milaca, Sandstone, Foley, Hinckley, Braham, Rock Creek, Stacy, Rice, Royalton, Harris, Shafer
Programs, smart meters & solar
| Smart meters (AMI) for homes | 100% |
| Time-based rate programs | None reported |
| Net-metered solar homes | 685 |
East Central Energy at a glance
| Ownership | Electric cooperative |
| Services | Distribution |
| Commercial rate | 13.61¢/kWh |
| Industrial rate | 9.30¢/kWh |
| Retail revenue (2025) | $147,319,400 |
| Electricity sold (2025) | 956,064 MWh |
| Peak demand | 189 MW summer · 168 MW winter |
| Line losses | 4.8% |
| Balancing authority | MISO |
| EIA utility ID | 5574 |
Other utilities in Minnesota
Frequently asked questions
What is East Central Energy's electricity rate?
East Central Energy residential customers pay an average of 17.91¢ per kWh, all charges included (EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07). That's 10% above the Minnesota average of 16.22¢ and 0% below the U.S. average.
What is the average East Central Energy electric bill?
About $154 a month. The average East Central Energy home uses 857 kWh a month. At 1,000 kWh the bill would be about $179.
How many customers does East Central Energy have?
East Central Energy serves 55,839 residential customers and 62,566 customers in total in Minnesota, across 10 counties.
How reliable is East Central Energy?
In 2025, the average East Central Energy customer was without power for 97 min (SAIDI) over 1.03 interruptions (SAIFI), including major storms. Excluding major event days it was 82 min. The Minnesota average was 3 hr 8 min and the U.S. average 4 hr 26 min.
Does East Central Energy offer time-of-use rates?
Yes. The OpenEI rate database lists 3 time-of-use residential plans, including Residential. Running big appliances off-peak can cut their cost. Pick the plan in the calculator above to see by how much.
Does East Central Energy offer net metering for solar?
East Central Energy had 685 residential net-metered customers in 2025 with 9.0 MW of capacity. Estimate solar savings at this utility's rate.
Sources: EIA-861 2025 and EIA-861M (through July 2026), OpenEI URDB, ORNL EAGLE-I, U.S. Census. Methodology. Spot an error? Rates change often, so confirm with East Central Energy before making decisions.