Urbana electricity rates
Compare every licensed supplier serving Urbana side by side — real per-kWh rates, no paid rankings, no sales calls. Ameren Illinois delivers the power no matter which plan you pick.
What's a good rate? The typical Urbana plan runs about 12.8¢/kWh — anything near today's 10.70¢ floor is a strong deal.
Lowest rate in Urbana right now
10.70¢/kWh
across 5 licensed IL suppliers
Enter your ZIP for plans at your address
Before you compare: check what you're actually paying
Urbana runs a municipal aggregation program, so many residents were automatically enrolled in a town-negotiated supply rate rather than the Ameren Illinois Price to Compare. If that's you, the rate on your bill is your aggregation rate, and that — not the Ameren Illinois default — is the number a competitive offer has to beat. So the honest first step in Urbana isn't “switch off the Ameren Illinois default”; it's checking your bill to see whether you're on the aggregation rate or the utility rate, then comparing from there. You can opt out of an aggregation program at no charge.
See how Illinois municipal aggregation works and how electricity choice works across Illinois.
Reviewed byJohn Spencer· Updated June 2026
Independent & not affiliated with any supplier — ranked by real cost, never by who pays us.
Quick answer: The cheapest electricity rate in Urbana right now is 10.70¢/kWh, available from 5 licensed IL suppliers. Compare plans below or enter your ZIP code for personalized results.
Top 5 electricity rates in Urbana
The lowest honest per-kWh rates from Plug In Illinois, updated weekly. For context, the typical plan here runs about 12.8¢/kWh — so anything below that is a good rate.
Rank these plans for your home
Set your typical monthly usage — we'll re-rank every plan by what it would actually cost you, not just its headline rate.
Ranked by your estimated cost at 1,000 kWh/month (the typical household — change it above)
| Supplier | Rate at 1,000 kWh | Est. monthly | Term | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC Cheapest100% Green | 10.70¢/kWh | $107.00 | 12 mo fixed | View plan |
 Public Power, LLC | 10.99¢/kWh | $109.90 | 12 mo fixed | View plan |
 Illinois Gas & Electric | 11.09¢/kWh | $110.90 | 12 mo fixed | View plan |
 Constellation Energy | 11.99¢/kWh | $119.90 | 6 mo fixed | View plan |
Constellation Energy | 12.19¢/kWh | $121.90 | 12 mo fixed | View plan |
Every plan, ranked by your real cost
All 14plans — including variable and bill-credit plans — sorted by what they'd actually cost at 1,000 kWh. A plan that looks cheap at 1,000 kWh can cost much more at your usage; here it sorts to where it really belongs.
| # | Supplier | Rate at 1,000 kWh | Est. monthly | Type | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC | 10.70¢/kWh | $107.00 | Fixed · 12 mo | View |
| 2 | Public Power, LLC | 10.99¢/kWh | $109.90 | Fixed · 12 mo | View |
| 3 | Illinois Gas & Electric | 11.09¢/kWh | $110.90 | Fixed · 12 mo | View |
| 4 | Constellation Energy | 11.99¢/kWh | $119.90 | Fixed · 6 mo | View |
| 5 | Constellation Energy | 12.19¢/kWh | $121.90 | Fixed · 12 mo | View |
| 6 | Public Power, LLC | 12.59¢/kWh | $125.90 | Fixed · 24 mo | View |
| 7 | Illinois Gas & Electric | 12.69¢/kWh | $126.90 | Fixed · 24 mo | View |
| 8 | Ambit Northeast, LLC | 12.89¢/kWh | $128.90 | Fixed · 12 mo | View |
Rates for IL licensed suppliers, ranked by estimated cost at 1,000 kWh/month. Usage-sensitive (bill-credit) plans show their true effective rate at your usage, not the 1,000-kWh headline.
Major providers serving Urbana
The big national brands serve Urbanatoo. Here's the lowest honest rate each one offers right now. Most price above the cheapest plans in our Top 5 above — we list them by name so you can compare like for like, not because they're the cheapest.
Prefer a specific provider? Check what they offer at your address.
Best plan by usage level
Your monthly bill depends on how much electricity you use.
Low usage (500 kWh)
500 kWh/month
Cheapest at this usage
10.70¢/kWh
SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC
Est. $54/month for generation
Average usage (850 kWh)
850 kWh/month
Cheapest at this usage
10.70¢/kWh
SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC
Est. $91/month for generation
High usage (1,200 kWh)
1200 kWh/month
Cheapest at this usage
10.70¢/kWh
SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC
Est. $128/month for generation
Urbana at a glance
38k
Population
Ameren Illinois
Primary utility
15.26¢
Avg rate per kWh (2024)
Lock in a rate from 10.70¢/kWh
Enter your ZIP to see every licensed IL supplier at your address — switching takes minutes.
Your utility vs. your supplier
Illinois deregulated electricity generation in 1997. Your utility handles delivery; you choose who generates your power.
Distribution Utility
Ameren Illinois
- Maintains power lines and infrastructure
- Handles outages and emergencies
- Sends your monthly bill
You can't change your utility
More about Ameren Illinois & its cities →Your Supplier
You choose
- Generates your electricity
- Sets your generation rate
- Offers fixed or variable pricing
5 suppliers available in Urbana
Rates from 10.70¢/kWh
41%
of IL households have chosen a competitive supplier
100+
ICC-licensed residential electricity suppliers
1-2
billing cycles to complete a supplier switch
Active suppliers in this area
Public Power, LLC
3 plans
Illinois Gas & Electric
3 plans
Constellation Energy
3 plans
Ambit Northeast, LLC
3 plans
SmartEnergy Holdings, LLC
2 plans
How electricity choice works
Lower rates
Shop for rates below your utility's Price to Compare
Same service
Your utility still delivers power and handles outages
Price protection
Fixed-rate plans lock in your rate for 6-24 months
Green options
100% renewable plans often cost the same or less
How to switch suppliers
Find your PTC
Check your utility bill for your current Price to Compare. This is the benchmark rate to beat.
Compare rates
Use Plug In Illinois or compare suppliers here. Look at rate, term, and fees.
Enroll online
Sign up with your chosen supplier. Your utility handles the switch automatically.
Setting up electricity in Urbana
Moving to Urbana or switching providers? The mechanics are simple. Ameren Illinois delivers your electricity over the same poles and wires no matter which retail provider you pick — so choosing or changing a plan never means a service interruption, a technician visit, or new equipment. You sign up with a provider, and the switch completes within one to two billing cycles.
To enroll you'll need your service address and, if you're already a customer, a recent bill (it lists your Ameren Illinois account number and meter — handy but not always required). New to the address? You can usually start service for a future move-in date.
ZIP codes in Urbana
We track Ameren Illinois rates and providers across Urbana, Champaign County, including ZIP codes 61801, 61802.
Frequently asked questions
- Who has the cheapest electricity rate in Urbana?
- The cheapest clean, fixed-rate plan (3+ months) in Urbana is currently 10.70¢/kWh — that's the honest headline we rank on. But the truly "cheapest" plan depends on your usage: many Urbana plans advertise a lower number using bill credits that only apply around 1,000 kWh a month, so they aren't actually cheapest if your home uses more or less. That's why we re-rank every plan by what you'd really pay at your usage level instead of the teaser rate.
- How does electricity deregulation work in Urbana?
- Urbana is served by Ameren Illinois, which delivers electricity to homes and businesses. Illinois deregulated electricity generation in 1997, meaning you can choose a different company to generate your power while Ameren Illinois continues to deliver it.
- Who delivers electricity in Urbana?
- Ameren Illinois is the distribution utility for Urbana and Champaign County. They own and maintain the power lines, handle outages, and send your bill. Regardless of which supplier you choose, Ameren Illinois delivers your electricity.
- How do I switch electricity suppliers in Urbana?
- Three steps: Compare rates, enroll directly with your chosen supplier online, and wait 1-2 billing cycles for the switch to complete. There's no service interruption, no new equipment, and no fee from Ameren Illinois to switch.
- What is the Price to Compare for Ameren Illinois customers?
- The Price to Compare (PTC) is Ameren Illinois's default generation rate for customers who don't choose a supplier. It changes periodically based on wholesale market prices. The PTC is the benchmark suppliers need to beat.
Other cities served by Ameren Illinois
How we collect this data
Rate data is sourced from Plug In Illinois, the official IL regulatory marketplace, and refreshed weekly. Volt Butler is an independent comparison site — we don't accept payments from suppliers to rank them higher. The Ameren Illinois Price to Compare is sourced from Ameren Illinois's most recent published rate schedule.
Ready to compare Urbana electricity rates?
Enter your ZIP code to see available suppliers and rates.
Free comparison · 5+ ICC-licensed suppliers · EIA-cited data