Wholesale U.S. electricity prices were relatively low in 2023

After a volatile 2022, average wholesale electricity prices at most major trading hubs in the Lower 48 states generally declined and traded within more narrow price ranges in 2023, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Prices decreased primarily because of lower natural gas prices, mild temperatures at the start of the year, reduced average electricity loads in many regional markets, and improved hydroelectric conditions in California and the Southwest.