Riverside homeowners are in a different electricity market than many other Southern California residents. Inside the City of Riverside, most homes are served by Riverside Public Utilities, a municipal utility, rather than Southern California Edison.
That distinction matters. California electricity prices are among the highest in the country, but Riverside’s local residential energy charges are often lower than California’s statewide average. The tradeoff is that Riverside bills include several fixed charges, and summer air-conditioning demand can still push total monthly costs much higher for larger homes, EV owners, pool owners, and households with older HVAC systems.
This guide explains 2026 electricity rates in Riverside, what a typical home may use in kWh, what different usage levels can cost, how Riverside compares with California and the U.S. average, and the most practical ways to lower your electric bill.
TL;DR: Riverside Electricity Rates in 2026
- Electric provider: Most homes inside the City of Riverside are served by Riverside Public Utilities.
- 2026 residential rate change: Riverside’s adopted electric rate plan included a 7% residential increase effective January 1, 2026.
- Standard domestic energy rates: 2026 Schedule D energy charges range from 13.64¢/kWh to 24.62¢/kWh depending on season and usage tier.
- California comparison: California’s residential average was 35.25¢/kWh in April 2026, compared with 18.83¢/kWh nationally.
- Typical Riverside usage estimate: A non-solar single-family home often lands around 500–850 kWh/month, with summer months often higher because of air conditioning.
- High-use homes: EV charging, pool equipment, heavy AC runtime, larger square footage, and older insulation can push usage above 1,000 kWh/month.
- Best savings moves: reduce cooling load, shift usage to lower-cost hours, review TOU or EV options, check SHARE/LIHEAP, and evaluate solar plus storage if bills stay high.
Who Provides Electricity in Riverside?
Most homes inside the City of Riverside are served by Riverside Public Utilities, commonly called RPU. RPU is a city-owned municipal utility, which makes Riverside different from many nearby communities that are served by investor-owned utilities such as Southern California Edison.
This guide focuses on homes inside the City of Riverside. If you live elsewhere in Riverside County, your provider may be different, and your rates may not match RPU’s rate schedules.
Riverside Public Utilities publishes several residential electric schedules, including standard domestic service, domestic Time-of-Use service, and a separately metered EV charging schedule. RPU’s current rate plan includes a 7% residential increase effective January 1, 2026, followed by smaller adopted increases in 2027 and 2028.
Riverside Electricity Rates: 2026 Data
Riverside’s standard residential plan is Schedule D, also called Domestic Service. Under this plan, the customer pays a monthly customer charge, a reliability charge based on residence size or service panel category, a network access charge based on average daily kWh usage, and an energy charge based on usage tiers.
| RPU Schedule D Item | 2026 Rate | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly customer charge | $14.93/month | Flat monthly charge for domestic electric service. |
| Reliability charge | $10, $20, $40, or $60/month | Depends on residence category or service size. |
| Network access charge, Tier 1 | $4.60/month | For homes using up to 12 kWh/day on average. |
| Network access charge, Tier 2 | $10.38/month | For homes using more than 12 and up to 25 kWh/day on average. |
| Network access charge, Tier 3 | $19.64/month | For homes using more than 25 kWh/day on average. |
The network access charge is important because it is tied to your average daily usage. A household that crosses above 25 kWh per day can move into the higher monthly network access tier, even before energy charges are calculated.
RPU Standard Domestic Energy Rates in 2026
| Season | Usage Tier | 2026 Energy Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Tier 1: 0–350 kWh | 13.64¢/kWh |
| Winter | Tier 2: 351–750 kWh | 21.34¢/kWh |
| Winter | Tier 3: Over 750 kWh | 24.62¢/kWh |
| Summer | Tier 1: 0–750 kWh | 13.64¢/kWh |
| Summer | Tier 2: 751–1,500 kWh | 21.34¢/kWh |
| Summer | Tier 3: Over 1,500 kWh | 24.62¢/kWh |
Riverside’s summer tier structure gives households a larger first tier than winter. That helps, but it does not mean summer bills are always low. Inland heat can increase air-conditioning runtime enough to push total usage much higher.
For comparison, the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s April 2026 electricity-price table shows California’s average residential electricity price at 35.25¢/kWh and the U.S. average at 18.83¢/kWh.
Riverside Electricity Cost Snapshot
These visuals use 2026 Riverside Public Utilities rate schedules and public California/U.S. electricity benchmarks.
Residential rate comparison
Cents per kWh, 2026 benchmarks
RPU Time-of-Use spread
Selected 2026 D-TOU prices
Estimated Riverside bill by monthly usage
Illustrative summer Schedule D estimate using 2026 energy rates plus common fixed charges for a medium residence. Actual bills vary.
What Is the Average kWh Usage Per House in Riverside?
There is no single official public source that publishes the exact average monthly kWh usage for every household inside the City of Riverside. Public electricity datasets are usually reported by utility, county, sector, state, or planning area rather than individual city household type.
For planning purposes, Riverside homes should be evaluated as inland Southern California homes with meaningful cooling demand, but often with lower municipal electric rates than many California investor-owned utility territories.
| Household Type | Estimated Monthly Usage | Estimated Daily Usage | Typical Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment or small efficient home | 250–450 kWh/month | 8–15 kWh/day | Limited AC, smaller footprint, fewer major electric loads. |
| Typical Riverside home | 500–850 kWh/month | 17–28 kWh/day | Single-family home with regular AC and standard appliances. |
| Summer-heavy inland home | 850–1,200 kWh/month | 28–40 kWh/day | Central AC, older insulation, larger home, or more occupants. |
| High-use household | 1,200+ kWh/month | 40+ kWh/day | EV charging, pool pump, heavy AC use, electric appliances, or large household. |
The most reliable benchmark is your own 12-month RPU usage history. Compare July to July, August to August, and winter months to prior winter months. A Riverside home can look efficient in spring and still produce a much larger bill in August because of air-conditioning runtime.
For more context on daily usage ranges, see NRG Clean Power’s guide to how many kWh per day is normal.
What Does a Typical Riverside Electric Bill Cost?
The table below uses a simplified summer Schedule D estimate. It includes 2026 RPU energy charges, the $14.93 customer charge, a $20 medium-residence reliability charge, and the applicable network access tier based on average daily kWh usage. It does not include every possible surcharge, adjustment, assistance credit, optional renewable-energy premium, or unusual meter/service condition.
| Monthly Usage | Estimated Summer Energy Cost | Estimated Total With Common Fixed Charges | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 kWh | About $55 | About $100 | Efficient home or smaller household. |
| 600 kWh | About $82 | About $127 | Moderate home usage. |
| 750 kWh | About $102 | About $148 | Upper end of Tier 1 summer energy usage. |
| 900 kWh | About $134 | About $189 | Higher summer AC use or added loads. |
| 1,200 kWh | About $198 | About $253 | Heavy AC, EV charging, pool equipment, or larger home. |
Riverside Time-of-Use Rates in 2026
Riverside’s Domestic Time-of-Use Service, Schedule D-TOU, is available to qualified single-family dwelling units. It can be relevant for homes that can shift meaningful usage away from peak hours, including EV charging, pool pumps, dishwashers, laundry, and some cooling strategies.
Under RPU’s 2026 D-TOU schedule, summer on-peak is 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day, winter on-peak is 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and off-peak is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. year-round.
| D-TOU Period | 2026 Tier 1 Rate | 2026 Tier 2 Rate | Best Planning Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter on-peak | 17.28¢/kWh | 27.64¢/kWh | Avoid stacking large evening loads in winter. |
| Winter mid-peak | 13.82¢/kWh | 22.12¢/kWh | Moderate usage hours. |
| Winter off-peak | 12.53¢/kWh | 12.53¢/kWh | Best window for flexible loads. |
| Summer on-peak | 23.04¢/kWh | 36.86¢/kWh | Most important period to manage in hot months. |
| Summer mid-peak | 14.97¢/kWh | 23.95¢/kWh | Better than peak, but not as low as off-peak. |
| Summer off-peak | 12.53¢/kWh | 12.53¢/kWh | Best for EV charging and other flexible use. |
Time-of-Use is not automatically better for every household. It is most useful when a home can shift large loads away from peak hours. If your AC, cooking, laundry, and pool pump all run during summer afternoons, D-TOU may not help unless you actively change usage patterns.
Riverside EV Charging Rates
RPU also publishes a separately metered domestic EV charging schedule. Under the 2026 EV schedule, off-peak charging is 12.87¢/kWh, mid-peak charging is 18.36¢/kWh in summer, and summer on-peak charging is 32.16¢/kWh. The EV schedule applies only to EV charging on a separate meter and has specific eligibility and equipment requirements.
| RPU EV Schedule Period | 2026 Rate | Time Window |
|---|---|---|
| Summer off-peak | 12.87¢/kWh | 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Summer mid-peak | 18.36¢/kWh | 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Summer on-peak | 32.16¢/kWh | 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Winter off-peak | 12.87¢/kWh | 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Winter mid-peak | 16.95¢/kWh | 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Winter on-peak | 24.12¢/kWh | 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
The main takeaway is that Riverside EV owners should avoid daytime summer charging when possible. Charging between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. is usually the lowest-cost window on the EV schedule.
For EV-specific cost examples, see NRG Clean Power’s guide on how much it costs to charge an electric vehicle.
Why Riverside Electric Bills Still Get High
1. Inland Heat and Air Conditioning
Riverside is an inland Southern California city. That means summer air-conditioning demand can be much higher than in coastal cities. A central AC system running for several hours during hot afternoons can add hundreds of kWh over a billing cycle.
Even though Riverside’s municipal energy rates can compare favorably with California’s statewide average, a high-usage summer month can still create a large bill.
2. Fixed Charges
RPU bills are not only energy charges. A standard residential bill can include a customer charge, reliability charge, and network access charge before usage-based electricity charges are added.
This means a lower-use household may still see a meaningful minimum monthly bill, and a higher-use household may move into a larger network access tier.
3. Pool Pumps, EV Charging, and Large Loads
Riverside homes often have outdoor living features that can add electricity use, including pool pumps, spas, exterior lighting, and larger cooling systems. EV charging can also add 150–450 kWh per month depending on driving habits.
4. Older Home Efficiency
Older insulation, duct leaks, single-pane windows, aging HVAC systems, and poor thermostat settings can all make Riverside homes more expensive to cool. In a hot month, small efficiency problems become bigger bill problems.
How Riverside Compares With California and Nearby Utility Territories
Riverside’s municipal utility structure gives many city residents a different cost profile than households in investor-owned utility territories. California’s statewide residential average was 35.25¢/kWh in April 2026, while RPU’s 2026 standard domestic energy tiers range from 13.64¢/kWh to 24.62¢/kWh before other bill components.
That does not mean Riverside bills are always low. It means the bill needs to be read differently. In Riverside, the key questions are: how much kWh did you use, which tier did you enter, what fixed charges apply, whether you are on a TOU or EV schedule, and how much of your usage happened during higher-cost periods?
How to Lower Your Electric Bill in Riverside
Control Cooling Load
Improve attic insulation, maintain your AC, use ceiling fans, and reduce afternoon solar heat gain.
Use Off-Peak Hours
Run EV charging, pool pumps, dishwashers, and laundry overnight where your rate plan rewards it.
Review Rate Schedules
Compare standard domestic, D-TOU, and EV charging options before assuming your current plan is best.
Watch Daily kWh
The network access charge depends on average daily usage, so daily kWh matters.
Check Assistance
Riverside’s SHARE program and LIHEAP may help qualifying households with utility costs.
Evaluate Solar + Storage
Solar and batteries may help high-usage Riverside homes reduce grid purchases and manage afternoon loads.
Reduce Cooling Demand First
In Riverside, cooling is usually the first place to look. Before replacing equipment, check air filters, attic insulation, duct leakage, thermostat schedules, window shading, and whether the home is gaining too much afternoon heat.
Use Rate Timing to Your Advantage
If you are on a Time-of-Use or EV schedule, avoid placing large loads in peak windows. EV charging, pool pumps, laundry, and dishwashers are often the easiest loads to move to lower-cost hours.
Track Average Daily kWh
RPU’s network access charge is based on daily average kWh usage. That makes daily usage a useful number, not just monthly usage. Divide your billing-period kWh by the number of service days to see where you fall.
Check SHARE and LIHEAP Assistance
Riverside Public Utilities’ SHARE program provides electric emergency and deposit payment assistance of $250 per customer per 12-month period and electric payment assistance of $28 per month, not to exceed $336 per customer per 12-month period. Riverside residents may also check LIHEAP through Community Action Partnership of Riverside County.
Evaluate Solar and Battery Storage
Riverside has strong solar potential, but the value of solar depends on your actual usage, rate schedule, roof, and timing of electricity use. A household using 450 kWh/month has a different solar profile than a home using 1,200 kWh/month with an EV and pool.
RPU’s 2026 Net Surplus Energy Compensation Rate is listed at 7.7¢/kWh. That means homeowners should understand both the value of using solar energy onsite and the value of exported surplus energy before sizing a system.
For statewide context, read NRG Clean Power’s guide to the average electric bill in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average electricity rate in Riverside?
Inside the City of Riverside, most homes are served by Riverside Public Utilities. RPU’s 2026 standard domestic energy charges range from 13.64¢/kWh to 24.62¢/kWh depending on season and usage tier. The full bill also includes customer, reliability, network access, and other possible charges.
Is Riverside cheaper than the California average?
On energy charges alone, Riverside’s standard domestic tiers are lower than California’s April 2026 residential average of 35.25¢/kWh. However, total bills depend on fixed charges, usage level, season, rate schedule, and household behavior.
How much electricity does a typical Riverside home use?
A practical planning estimate for a non-solar Riverside single-family home is roughly 500–850 kWh/month, with summer months often higher because of air conditioning. Homes with EV charging, pools, larger square footage, or older AC systems can exceed 1,000 kWh/month.
What are Riverside’s peak hours?
For RPU’s D-TOU schedule, summer on-peak is 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and winter on-peak is 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Off-peak is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in both summer and winter.
Does Riverside have an EV charging rate?
Yes. RPU has a separately metered domestic EV schedule for qualifying single-family homes. In 2026, the off-peak EV rate is 12.87¢/kWh, while summer on-peak EV charging is 32.16¢/kWh.
Can solar eliminate my Riverside electric bill?
Solar can significantly reduce electricity purchased from the grid, but it may not eliminate every fixed charge or billing component. Battery storage may help households that want to increase onsite solar use or manage high afternoon and evening demand.
Bottom Line
Riverside electricity rates are not the same as the rates paid by many nearby Southern California homeowners. Because Riverside Public Utilities is a municipal utility, standard domestic energy charges can be lower than California’s statewide average.
That does not mean every Riverside bill is low. Inland heat, AC runtime, fixed charges, network access tiers, EV charging, pool equipment, and inefficient homes can still produce high monthly costs.
The best way to manage a Riverside electric bill is to start with your own usage history. Check your monthly kWh, calculate average daily kWh, identify large loads, compare your current schedule with available RPU options, and review whether efficiency upgrades, assistance programs, solar, or battery storage make sense for your home.