Virginia energy profile

Manufacturing energy costs in Virginia

As of Apr 2026, industrial electricity in Virginia runs 9.86 cents per kWh. That is 13.9% more expensive than the U.S. average and places the state 38 of 51 nationally.

Current prices in Virginia

  • Industrial electricity: 9.86 cents per kWh (Apr 2026, EIA).
  • Commercial electricity, the rate a warehouse or distribution center in Virginia typically pays: 10.33 cents per kWh.
  • Virginia does not report an industrial natural gas price for the latest month; plants there should use their utility contract rate.
  • Just below Virginia on the price ladder: Illinois at 9.74, Pennsylvania at 9.82, Minnesota at 9.86 cents. Just above: Ohio at 9.95, Vermont at 12.48, Maryland at 14.34 cents.

What the rate does to operating cost

  • A 10 kW machine running a 4,000 hour year costs about 3,944 in electricity at Virginia rates versus 3,464 at the national average; at 50 kW the gap is 19,720 versus 17,320, and at 200 kW it is 78,880 versus 69,280.
  • At this rate, efficiency projects clear their hurdle faster in Virginia than almost anywhere: every avoided kWh is worth more, so compressed air leak repairs, VFD retrofits, and scheduling around demand charges deserve a fresh look.

What factory labor pays in Virginia

  • Industrial production managers: $61.65/hr median in Virginia versus $60.61 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Industrial engineers: $49.30/hr median in Virginia versus $49.25 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Production supervisors: $35.65/hr median in Virginia versus $35.79 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Tool and die makers: $30.79/hr median in Virginia versus $30.79 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Industrial machinery mechanics: $30.78/hr median in Virginia versus $31.02 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Machinists: $29.47/hr median in Virginia versus $28.24 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Virginia employs about 229,000 manufacturing workers as of May 2026 (BLS).

Sources and update cadence

  • Prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and refresh automatically when the agency publishes; this page also archives each month's Virginia observation so the local price history deepens over time.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.