How Much to Run a Space Heater in Alaska? $0.39/Hr, $356/Winter
Running space heater in Alaska costs about $0.39 an hour and roughly $356 for the winter — 1,500 W for 5.0 hours a day at 26.11¢/kWh.
· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · next EIA update ~Oct 23
On this page: CalculatorTableHow we calculatedSources
Jump to calculator ↓Slider nudges the Alaska rate; the URL keeps it.
- Per hour
- $0.39 at 26.11¢/kWh
- Per winter
- $356 (182 days)
- Hours per day
- 5.0 (EIA division heating degree-days-scaled)
- Degree-days used
- 2,151 (EIA STEO Pacific census division)
- Wattage
- 1,500 W (typical 750–1,500)
- Alaska rate
- 26.11¢ (October 2025–March 2026 average)
- Rank of 20 cold states
- 10 (10th most expensive)
Why this number
Alaska runs space heater longer than the national baseline in October–March — 5.0 hours a day on the EIA division degree-day scaling used here, against 5.0 nationally — and pays 26.11¢/kWh for it. Those two numbers, times 1,500 W, are the whole $356.
Space heater cost in Alaska by hours per day — per day / per winter
| Hours per day | Alaska avg 26.11¢ | Chugach Electric Assn 21.2¢ | Matanuska Electric Ass 23.4¢ | Golden Valley Elec Ass 30.3¢ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | $0.39 / $71 | $0.32 / $58 | $0.35 / $64 | $0.45 / $83 |
| 2 h | $0.78 / $143 | $0.64 / $116 | $0.70 / $128 | $0.91 / $165 |
| 4 h | $1.57 / $285 | $1.27 / $232 | $1.40 / $256 | $1.82 / $331 |
| 6 h | $2.35 / $428 | $1.91 / $347 | $2.11 / $383 | $2.73 / $496 |
| 8 h | $3.13 / $570 | $2.54 / $463 | $2.81 / $511 | $3.64 / $662 |
| 12 h | $4.70 / $855 | $3.82 / $695 | $4.21 / $767 | $5.45 / $993 |
What Alaska’s utilities charge for it
| Utility | Residential customers | ¢/kWh (EIA-861 2024) | Per hour | Per winter at 5.0 h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chugach Electric Assn Inc | 97,048 | 21.2¢ | $0.32 | $289 |
| Matanuska Electric Assn Inc | 64,205 | 23.4¢ | $0.35 | $319 |
| Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc | 40,675 | 30.3¢ | $0.45 | $414 |
What the numbers say about space heater in Alaska
NOAA publishes no state series for Alaska, so this page uses the EIA STEO Pacific census division heating degree-days, October 2025–March 2026: 2,151, 64% of the US 3,359, which is why this page runs space heater 5.0 hours a day against the national 5.0. At Alaska’s October 2025–March 2026 average rate of 26.11¢/kWh that makes it the 10th most expensive of the 20 cold states for space heater: $356 for the 182-day winter, against Nebraska’s $220 and Maine’s $752. Chugach Electric Assn Inc, Alaska’s largest utility with 97,048 residential customers, averages 21.2¢ — $289 for the same hours — while Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc at 30.3¢ comes to $414, a $124 spread on identical use. Per million Btu delivered, resistance heat at 26.11¢ costs $76.52 against $13.37 for natural gas at Alaska’s winter average of $1.27/therm, so a 1,500 W heater is a room-by-room supplement in Alaska, not a whole-house plan. Alaska’s winter-average rate (26.11¢) sits 2.72¢ below its July 2026 reading of 28.83¢; the season figure uses the winter average because that is when space heater runs. One caveat specific to Alaska: the EIA STEO Pacific census division folds it in with California, Oregon and Washington, which understates its winter, so this page holds the hours at the national 5.0 h/day floor rather than scaling them down — raise them in the calculator to match your own season.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run space heater per hour in Alaska?
$0.39 an hour for a 1,500 W unit at Alaska’s October 2025–March 2026 average average of 26.11¢/kWh (1,500 ÷ 1,000 × 0.2611); at Chugach Electric Assn Inc’s 21.2¢ it is $0.32.
How much does space heater cost for the whole winter in Alaska?
About $356: 1,500 W × 5.0 hours a day × 182 days (October–March) × 26.11¢. The hours are the national 5.0 h/day scaled by EIA STEO Pacific census division heating degree-days, October 2025–March 2026 (2,151 against the US 3,359); enter your own hours above for your own figure.
Is space heater expensive to run in Alaska compared with other cold states?
Alaska is the 10th most expensive of the 20 cold states on this site at $356 a winter; the range runs from Nebraska ($220) to Maine ($752), driven almost entirely by the electricity rate.
How we calculated this
Worked for space heater in Alaska: 1,500 W ÷ 1,000 × 0.2611 $/kWh = $0.39 per hour; hours per day = 5.0 × (2,151 ÷ 3,359) = 5.0 (floored at the national baseline, see below); 1,500 ÷ 1,000 × 5.0 × 182 × 0.2611 = $356 for the winter. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly 5.6.A (October 2025–March 2026 average); degree-days: EIA STEO Pacific census division heating degree-days, October 2025–March 2026, against the US total; utility prices: EIA-861 2024.Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.
Where to go next
- Cost to run space heater (national page) — The 1,500 W and 5.0 h/day baseline this page scales for Alaska, with the sourced benchmark.
- Cost to heat a home in Alaska — Gas, propane, oil, heat pump and resistance per MMBtu at Alaska’s own prices — the whole-house picture.
- Find your electricity rate by ZIP — Alaska averages 26.11¢ but its utilities span the table above — send your own rate into this calculator.
- Solar panel cost in Alaska — Alaska’s 28.83¢ July rate, utilities and rate history on the solar side.
- Cost to run heat pump in Alaska — Same Alaska rates and degree-days applied to a 3,500 W heat pump.
- Cost to run ductless mini-split in Alaska — Same Alaska rates and degree-days applied to a 2,000 W ductless mini-split.
- Cost to run space heater in Illinois — $355 for the winter at 17.86¢ and 7.3 h/day — the nearest cold-state comparison.
- Cost to run space heater in North Dakota — $318 for the winter at 11.71¢ and 9.9 h/day — the nearest cold-state comparison.