SALT LAKE CITY – Among the factors driving Utah’s robust economic climate is energy affordability.

That’s the conclusion of a new nationwide study that reveals which states are bleeding residents dry with energy costs, including electricity bills, natural gas rates and prices at the pump for gasoline.

That research was conducted by analysts at Oregon Generators, a firm that specializes in home generator installation, electric vehicle setups and electrical upgrades in Milwaukie, OR.

Based on electricity and natural gas cost data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and gasoline price data from the American Automobile Association, that study found that Utah households enjoy the nation’s lowest average monthly electric bills at just $85, resulting from a modest average cost of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour.

“Utah benefits from a combination of favorable energy factors,” according to Corey Gilgan, the owner of Oregon Generators.

“It’s geographic position provides access to abundant coal and natural gas reserves, significant hydroelectric resources and relatively modern infrastructure.”

Gilgan also praises Utah’s regulatory framework, which Gov. Spencer Cox calls an “all of the above” approach to energy generation, that prioritizes cost effective power delivery to consumers.

At the other end of the study’s spectrum, the average monthly electric bill in Hawaii is more than $213, based on an average cost of 44 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Those prices pose a major challenge for drivers seeking to transition to electric vehicles in states like Hawaii, Connecticut and California, Gilgan explains.

“In states with astronomical electricity rates,” he says, “the math on electric vehicle ownership just doesn’t add up.

“People see gas prices climbing and want to switch, but then realize they’d be trading one expensive energy source for another.”

Here in Logan, the Municipal Council’s recent decision to purchase an interest in a nature gas power plant in Power County, ID touched off fireworks with environmental idealists over power supplied by fossil fuels. But the Oregon Generators study found natural gas prices throughout Utah average only $13.14 per 1,000 cubic feet, compared to an average cost of $48.88 in Hawaii and $21.85 in California.

Gasoline prices at the pump in Utah averaged $2.94 per gallon during the first week in April of 2025, compared to nearly $5 per gallon in Hawaii and California.

In addition to Hawaii and California, other states in the high energy cost column include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Nevada, Maine and Maryland, with monthly electric bills averaging from $202 to $145.

“These substantial price variations are creating an uneven landscape for energy consumers,” Gilgan warns. “High energy costs in certain regions are leading to hesitancy around electric vehicle adoption, as the promised operational savings simply don’t materialize when charging costs are nearly triple the national average.”

Gilgan says there are still effective strategies for Americans to manage their energy expenses, including a professional energy audit of their homes followed by high-return improvements like installation of LED lighting, programmable thermostats and enhanced insulation.

The full study can be found by going online to https://orgenerators.com/