What a microwave costs to run in North Carolina
North Carolina homes use 106 kWh a year on a microwave. Priced on top of the rest of the bill, that costs $9.29 to $15.50 a year across 33 published North Carolina plans — a $6.21 gap. Checked September 2, 2026.
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Cheapest 25 of 31 priced plans, average
| Plan | Per year | vs cheapest | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase✓ cheapesttime-of-use | $9.29 | — | 9.7¢ |
| Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Three Phasetime-of-use | $9.29 | — | 10.5¢ |
| RT (Residential Service Time of Use)time-of-use · demand charge | $10.26 | +$0.97 | 11.0¢ |
| Residential Time Of Use Schedule (R-TOUD) - Three Phasetime-of-use · demand charge | $10.38 | +$1.09 | 12.1¢ |
| RETC (Residential Service All-Electric Time of Use with Critical Peak Pricing))time-of-use · needs an all-electric home | $11.26 | +$1.97 | 11.9¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Three Phasetime-of-use · demand charge | $11.65 | +$2.36 | 13.3¢ |
| ES (Residential Service Energy Star, All-Electric)time-of-use · tiered · needs an all-electric home | $11.73 | +$2.44 | 12.9¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single Phasetime-of-use · demand charge | $11.84 | +$2.55 | 12.5¢ |
| RSTC (Residential Service Time of Use with Critical Peak Pricing)time-of-use | $11.98 | +$2.69 | 12.6¢ |
| RE (Residential Electric Water Heating and Space Conditioning)time-of-use · tiered · needs electric heating | $12.31 | +$3.02 | 13.5¢ |
| ES (Residential Service Energy Star, Standard)flat rate · needs qualifying appliances | $12.96 | +$3.67 | 13.5¢ |
| Residential Service Energy Star All-Electric EStiered · needs an all-electric home | $13.20 | +$3.91 | 12.9¢ |
| RS (Residential Service)flat rate | $13.56 | +$4.27 | 14.1¢ |
| Residential Electric Water Heating and Space Conditioning - REtiered · needs electric heating | $13.92 | +$4.63 | 13.6¢ |
| Residential Time of Use with Critical Peak Pricing (R-TOU-CPP) Single Phasetime-of-use | $14.25 | +$4.96 | 14.9¢ |
| Residential Time of Use with Critical Peak Pricing (R-TOU-CPP) Three Phasetime-of-use | $14.25 | +$4.96 | 15.8¢ |
| Residential Service Energy Star Standard EStiered · needs qualifying appliances | $14.28 | +$4.99 | 13.9¢ |
| Residential Time of Use EV(R-TOU-EV) Single Phasetime-of-use · needs an electric vehicle | $14.40 | +$5.11 | 15.1¢ |
| Residential Time of Use EV(R-TOU-EV) Three Phasetime-of-use · needs an electric vehicle | $14.40 | +$5.11 | 15.9¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Single Phasetime-of-use | $14.84 | +$5.55 | 15.3¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Three Phasetime-of-use | $14.84 | +$5.55 | 16.2¢ |
| Residential Service - Three Phasetime-of-use · tiered | $14.92 | +$5.63 | 16.9¢ |
| Residential Time of Use (R-TOU) Three Phasetime-of-use | $14.97 | +$5.68 | 16.4¢ |
| Residential Time of Use (R-TOU) Single Phasetime-of-use | $14.97 | +$5.68 | 15.6¢ |
| Residential Service RB; Closed Ratetiered · closed to new customers | $15.00 | +$5.71 | 14.7¢ |
6 further schedules are published and priced but not listed here — mostly regional and seasonal variants of the plans above. The dearest of them costs $15.50 a year at this usage.
Cost across usage levels
The cheapest plan at each consumption level, showing whether the ranking holds as usage changes.
- Lighter use — cheapest $5.49 (Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase), dearest $9.18, a $3.69 spread
- Average — cheapest $9.29 (Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase), dearest $15.50, a $6.21 spread
- Heavier use — cheapest $11.54 (Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase), dearest $19.20, a $7.66 spread
What a microwave costs here
Across 31 plans priced in North Carolina, a microwave adds $9.29 to $15.50 a year — $0.77 to $1.29 a month. The median plan puts a microwave at $14.84 a year.
Cheapest for a microwave: Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase, Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina). Dearest: Residential Service (RES-55) Three Phase, Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina).
Those 106 kWh are billed at 8.7¢–14.6¢, against a 15.3¢ whole-bill average on the median plan, so on these plans the two rates are close.
What North Carolina homes use
EIA's 2020 residential survey found 106 kWh a year across 468 sampled homes that run one, near the national 107 kWh. The middle half spans 63 kWh to 132 kWh, so a microwave varies by 69 kWh between one household and another.
Cooking and reheating, plus the standby draw of the clock and panel. That average covers homes with a microwave — 98% of homes here.
That makes a microwave about 1% of the electricity a North Carolina home uses. The remaining 12,391 kWh is what a microwave is billed on top of, and on a tiered or time-of-use plan that is what sets the rate it meets.
By provider
On each North Carolina provider's cheapest plan: Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina), $9.29; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, $10.26; Progress Energy Carolinas Inc, $10.38; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina), $15.12.
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina) charges $5.83 a year more than Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina) on Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single Phase for the same 106 kWh.
Light and heavy use of a microwave
A household in the lighter quarter runs a microwave for 63 kWh a year and pays $5.49 on the cheapest plan. One in the heavier quarter runs it for 132 kWh and pays $11.54 — $6.05 more for a microwave on the same tariff.
Limits
A 2020 survey average for North Carolina, not a measurement of any one home, priced against the 33 North Carolina tariffs WattClear has ingested — not every plan sold there.
New to these terms? The methodology page explains tiered bands, time-of-use periods and fixed charges, and sets out exactly what the rate engine assumes.
Estimate — your actual bill may differ.
Tariff structures from NREL/OpenEI Utility Rate Database (CC0 1.0), retrieved September 2, 2026.
Location resolved through the US Census Bureau Geocoder (Public domain) at 35.2271, -80.8431.