Tennessee · City
Commercial electricity in Memphis, Tennessee
Which electric utilities serve businesses in Memphis, what each charged commercial customers in EIA’s 2025 data, and where Tennessee’s prices stand.
EIA lists one electric utility in Shelby County, which contains Memphis. MLGW, the city’s own utility, averaged 13.04¢ per kWh for its commercial customers in 2025. Tennessee’s average commercial price was 13.27¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026.
Source: EIA Form EIA-861 (2025) and Form EIA-861M; U.S. Census Bureau
Electric utilities serving Memphis
These are the utilities EIA records in Shelby County. EIA lists a utility in a county when it has customers anywhere in it, so this is everyone with a presence, ordered by commercial customers across Tennessee, not a statement about any one address. Prices are EIA’s averages over all of each utility’s commercial customers: revenue divided by kWh.
MLGW is a city-owned utility named for Memphis, and city-owned utilities usually serve the area inside the city’s limits, so it is the likely utility for many addresses there. It billed its 43,987 commercial customers an average 13.04¢ per kWh in 2025.
| Utility | Type | Commercial customers in TN | Average commercial price, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLGW | Municipal | 43,987 | 13.04¢ |
Find the list for a single ZIP Code with the utility lookup, or set utilities side by side with the comparison tool.
What businesses in Memphis pay
Across Tennessee, businesses paid an average 13.27¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, 4.3% below the U.S. average of 13.87¢, and up 4.0% on the 12 months before. That ranks Tennessee 22 of 51, where 1 is the highest price. In 2025 the average commercial account in the state used 5,542 kWh a month, about $713 a month at the state price; that is a mean pulled up by a few very large users, so most small businesses use less.
A city has no price of its own: two businesses on the same street can pay very different amounts per kWh, because the rate schedule, the size of the peak and, where it is allowed, the supply contract matter more than the location. The Tennessee page has the state’s price history since 2010 and every utility with at least 500 commercial customers.
Choosing a supplier in Memphis
Tennessee commercial accounts are served by local power companies distributing TVA power. There is no competitive retail supply market. Tariff fit, demand charges and efficiency carry the cost decisions.
Where prices are heading
EIA does not forecast single states. For the East South Central census division, which includes Tennessee, its November 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook puts the average commercial price at 13.59¢ per kWh for 2026 and 13.91¢ for 2027, up 6.3% from 13.09¢ in 2025. The forecast for every region.
About Memphis
The Census Bureau estimates Memphis had 609,647 residents on July 1, 2025, down 3.0% from 628,282 in 2020. It lies in Shelby County.
Other cities in Tennessee
Common questions
- Who provides electricity to businesses in Memphis?
- EIA lists MLGW as electric utilities in Shelby County. Which one serves a given address depends on the street; the utility on an existing bill is the definitive answer, and a utility can confirm service for a new site.
- What is the average commercial electricity rate in Memphis?
- There is no official figure for a city. EIA publishes prices by state and by utility: MLGW averaged 13.04¢ per kWh for its commercial customers in 2025, and Tennessee averaged 13.27¢ over the 12 months to August 2026. A business’s own price depends on its rate schedule, its demand and, where it can choose, its supply contract.
- Can a business in Memphis choose its electricity supplier?
- Tennessee commercial accounts are served by local power companies distributing TVA power. There is no competitive retail supply market. Tariff fit, demand charges and efficiency carry the cost decisions. The state page for Tennessee explains how it works and who regulates it.
Averages describe Memphis; a bill describes your business. A person can read yours: rate schedule, demand, riders, contract window. Nobody calls unless you ask.