California Energy Price Data for January 2024

For the 12 months ending November, the California CPI rose 3.4%, up from 3.2% in October.  In the same period, the US CPI dipped 3.1% from 3.2% in October.

The January average price per gallon of regular gasoline in California eased 11 cents from December to $4.56. The California premium above the average for the US other than California ($2.98) eased to $1.58, a 52.8% difference.

In January, California had the highest gasoline price among the contiguous states and DC. Californians paid $1.94 a gallon more than consumers in Oklahoma, the state with the lowest price.

The January average price per gallon of diesel in California eased 21 cents from December to $5.32. The California premium above the average for the US other than California ($3.83) eased to $1.50, a 39.1% difference.

In January, California had the highest diesel price among the contiguous states and DC.

The cost premium above the US (other than California) average price for regular gasoline ranged from $1.49 in the Central Valley Region (average January price of $4.47), to $1.75 in Central Coast Region (average January price of $4.73).

California average Residential Price for the 12 months ended November 2023 was 28.59 cents/kWh, 88.8% higher than the US average of 15.14 cents/kWh for all states other than California. California’s residential prices were the 4th highest among the contiguous states and DC.

For the 12 months ended November 2023, the average annual Residential electricity bill in California was $1,695, or 70.5% higher ($701) than the comparable bill in 2010 (the year the AB 32 implementation began with the Early Action items). In this same period, the average US (less CA) electricity bill for all the other states grew only 21.1% ($288).

In 2010, California had the 9th lowest residential electricity bill among the contiguous states and DC. In the latest data, California tied with Tennessee for the 18th highest.

Residential bills, however, vary widely by region. Transforming the 2022 data recently released by the Energy Commission, estimated annual household usage is as much as 82% higher in the interior regions compared to the milder climate coastal areas, and substantially higher when comparing across counties.

For the 12 months ended November 2023, California’s higher electricity prices translated into Residential ratepayers paying $11.2 billion more than the average ratepayers elsewhere in the US using the same amount of energy. Compared to the lowest cost state, California households paid $14.7 billion more.

California average Commercial Price for the 12 months ended November 2023 was 23.82 cents/kWh, 102.2% higher than the US average of 11.78 cents/kWh for all states other than California. California’s commercial prices were the highest among the contiguous states and DC.

California average Industrial Price for the 12 months ended November 2023 was 18.82 cents/kWh, 143.5% higher than the US average of 7.73 cents/kWh for all states other than California. California’s industrial prices were the 2nd highest among the contiguous states and DC.

For the 12 months ended November 2023, California’s higher electricity prices translated into Commercial & Industrial ratepayers paying $18.2 billion more than ratepayers elsewhere in the US using the same amount of energy. Compared to the lowest rate states, Commercial & Industrial ratepayers paid $23.4 billion more.