Log In Pay My Bill

Fuel comparison tables

Compare the break-even points and kilowatt-hour equivalents of electricity and fossil fuels.

Whether you're a contractor looking to best serve our shared customers or a customer yourself, it's important to take a look at how electricity compares to fossil fuels. As part of that process we encourage you to:

Now, let's see how electricity compares to fossil fuels.

Btu content

Amount Unit Source
1,000,000 Btu / MCF Natural gas
    91,800 Btu / gallon Propane
  140,000 Btu / gallon Heating oil
     3,413 Btu / kWh Electricity

Breakeven points and kilowatt-hour equivalents

Check out this summary of controlled-service rates and associated riders and adjustments to get a more accurate price for your comparison.

Learn more about...

Typical controlled-service rates for break-even calculations

To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with natural gas, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.

Electricity

Price per MCF of Natural gas

Price/kWh

Efficiency

Base 

70%

90%

3.00¢

$6.15

$7.91

3.25¢

$6.67

$8.57

3.50¢

$7.18

$9.23

3.75¢

$7.69

$9.89

4.00¢

$8.20

$10.55

4.25¢

$8.72

$11.21

4.50¢

$9.23

$11.87

4.75¢

$9.74

$12.53

5.00¢

$10.25

$13.18

5.25¢

$10.77

$13.84

5.50¢

$11.28

$14.50

5.75¢

$11.79

$15.16

6.00¢

$12.31

$15.82

6.25¢

$12.82

$16.48

6.50¢

$13.33

$17.14

6.75¢

$13.84

$17.80

7.00¢

$14.36

$18.46

7.25¢

$14.87

$19.12

7.50¢

$15.38

$19.78

7.75¢

$15.90

$20.44

8.00¢

$16.41

$21.10

8.25¢

$16.92

$21.76

8.50¢

$17.43

$22.41

8.75¢

$17.95

$23.07

9.00¢

$18.46

$23.73

9.50¢

$19.48

$25.05

10.00¢

$20.51

$26.37

10.50¢

$21.54

$27.69

11.00¢

$22.56

$29.01

11.50¢

$23.59

$30.33

12.00¢

$24.61

$31.64

13.00¢

$26.66

$34.28

14.00¢

$28.71

$36.92

To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with propane, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.

Electricity

Price per gallon of Propane

Price/kWh

Efficiency

Base

70%

90%

3.00¢

$0.56

$0.73

3.25¢

$0.61

$0.79

3.50¢

$0.66

$0.85

3.75¢

$0.71

$0.91

4.00¢

$0.75

$0.97

4.25¢

$0.80

$1.03

4.50¢

$0.85

$1.09

4.75¢

$0.89

$1.15

5.00¢

$0.94

$1.21

5.25¢

$0.99

$1.27

5.50¢

$1.04

$1.33

5.75¢

$1.08

$1.39

6.00¢

$1.13

$1.45

6.25¢

$1.18

$1.51

6.50¢

$1.22

$1.57

6.75¢

$1.27

$1.63

7.00¢

$1.32

$1.69

7.25¢

$1.37

$1.76

7.50¢

$1.41

$1.82

7.75¢

$1.46

$1.88

8.00¢

$1.51

$1.94

8.25¢

$1.55

$2.00

8.50¢

$1.60

$2.06

8.75¢

$1.65

$2.12

9.00¢

$1.69

$2.18

9.50¢

$1.79

$2.30

10.00¢

$1.88

$2.42

10.50¢

$1.98

$2.54

11.00¢

$2.07

$2.66

11.50¢

$2.17

$2.78

12.00¢

$2.26

$2.90

13.00¢

$2.45

$3.15

14.00¢

$2.64

$3.39

To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with heating oil, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.

Electricity

Price per gallon of Heating oil

Price/kWh

Efficiency

Base

70%

80%

3.00¢

$0.86

$0.98

3.25¢

$0.93

$1.07

3.50¢

$1.00

$1.15

3.75¢

$1.08

$1.23

4.00¢

$1.15

$1.31

4.25¢

$1.22

$1.39

4.50¢

$1.29

$1.48

4.75¢

$1.36

$1.56

5.00¢

$1.44

$1.64

5.25¢

$1.51

$1.72

5.50¢

$1.58

$1.80

5.75¢

$1.65

$1.89

6.00¢

$1.72

$1.97

6.25¢

$1.79

$2.05

6.50¢

$1.87

$2.13

6.75¢

$1.94

$2.22

7.00¢

$2.01

$2.30

7.25¢

$2.08

$2.38

7.50¢

$2.15

$2.46

7.75¢

$2.23

$2.54

8.00¢

$2.30

$2.63

8.25¢

$2.37

$2.71

8.50¢

$2.44

$2.79

8.75¢

$2.51

$2.87

9.00¢

$2.58

$2.95

9.50¢

$2.73

$3.12

10.00¢

$2.87

$3.28

10.50¢

$3.01

$3.45

11.00¢

$3.16

$3.61

11.50¢

$3.30

$3.77

12.00¢

$3.45

$3.94

13.00¢

$3.73

$4.27

14.00¢

$4.02

$4.59

Calculate the kilowatt-hour (kWh) equivalent for fossil fuel used at various equipment efficiencies.

 

kWh at
60%
efficiency

kWh at
70%
efficiency

kWh at
80%
efficiency

kWh at
90%
efficiency

Natural gas MCF

 

1

176

205

234

264

50

8,790

10,255

11,720

13,185

75

13,185

15,382

17,580

19,777

200

35,160

41,020

46,880

52,740

Propane gallons

 

1

16

19

22

24

100

1,614

1,883

2,152

2,421

500

8,069

9,414

10,759

12,104

750

12,104

14,121

16,138

18,156

Heating oil gallons

 

1

25

29

33

 

100

2,461

2,871

3,282

 

500

12,306

14,357

16,408

 

750

18,459

21,535

24,612

 
Residential Business

Deferred Load Rate

Store now, use later—save up to 30% on your heating and cooling costs by switching to our Deferred Load Rate.

Dual Fuel Rate

Gain the benefits of both electric heat and backup non-electric heat through use of our Dual Fuel Rates.

Residential Demand Control

Partner with us to manage energy-system peaks and get a rate that’s about 25% lower than standard for all the energy you use with our Residential Demand Control (RDC) Rate.