West Virginia energy profile

Manufacturing energy costs in West Virginia

As of Apr 2026, industrial electricity in West Virginia runs 8.84 cents per kWh. That is 2.1% more expensive than the U.S. average and places the state 28 of 51 nationally.

Current prices in West Virginia

  • Industrial electricity: 8.84 cents per kWh (Apr 2026, EIA).
  • Commercial electricity, the rate a warehouse or distribution center in West Virginia typically pays: 11.63 cents per kWh.
  • Industrial natural gas: 3.57 per Mcf (Apr 2026), 27.1% below the national average.
  • Just below West Virginia on the price ladder: New York at 8.62, Wyoming at 8.75, Wisconsin at 8.84 cents. Just above: Indiana at 8.86, Michigan at 8.95, South Dakota at 9.15 cents.

What the rate does to operating cost

  • A 10 kW machine running a 4,000 hour year costs about 3,536 in electricity at West Virginia rates versus 3,464 at the national average; at 50 kW the gap is 17,680 versus 17,320, and at 200 kW it is 70,720 versus 69,280.
  • West Virginia sits mid-pack for power cost, so energy is neither a site-selection advantage nor a penalty. Estimates built on national averages will land close here, though demand charges and rate schedules still swing the real bill.

What factory labor pays in West Virginia

  • Industrial production managers: $53.73/hr median in West Virginia versus $60.61 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Industrial engineers: $52.10/hr median in West Virginia versus $49.25 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Production supervisors: $33.17/hr median in West Virginia versus $35.79 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Industrial machinery mechanics: $29.67/hr median in West Virginia versus $31.02 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • CNC tool operators: $23.86/hr median in West Virginia versus $24.37 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • Welders, cutters, and brazers: $23.46/hr median in West Virginia versus $25.84 nationally (OEWS 2025).
  • West Virginia employs about 45,000 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 West Virginia observation so the local price history deepens over time.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.