Heating & Cooling · West
Cost to run a ceiling fan in Alaska
At Alaska’s average residential rate of 28.23¢ per kWh, a ceiling fan drawing 60W for 8 hours a day costs about $4.12 a month. Change the numbers below to match how you actually use yours.
The cooling season in Alaska is short. A ceiling fan will earn its running cost over a few weeks rather than a few months, which makes the per-day figure a more useful number here than the annual one.
Quick answer
Based on 60W and 28.23¢/kWh, the Alaska average for May 2026.
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— per year
Why the cost differs in Alaska
Alaska has the 45th cheapest residential electricity of the 51 US states and territories we track, at 28.23¢ per kWh against a national average of 18.44¢. That is +53.1% compared with the national figure. Alaska is not one grid but many. The Railbelt system serves Anchorage and Fairbanks, while remote communities run isolated diesel microgrids where fuel arrives by barge or plane. That logistics cost, not generation efficiency, is what puts Alaska well above mainland rates. Heating demand runs most of the year, and lighting load is unusually seasonal given the extreme daylight swing.
For this appliance specifically, the difference works out to an extra $17.15 a year over what the same ceiling fan would cost at the national average rate. Run the identical appliance in Hawaii and it would cost $91.10 a year; in Idaho it would cost $21.64. That spread of $69.47 is entirely down to location.
That works out to roughly 1.7% of a typical Alaska household's annual electricity bill - modest individually, though appliances in this range add up.
Because Alaska is among the most expensive states for electricity, efficiency upgrades pay back faster here than almost anywhere. A more efficient ceiling fan that saves a given number of kilowatt-hours saves noticeably more money in Alaska than the same upgrade would in a cheap-power state.
Retail service in Alaska is regulated, so most households pay a tariff set through state rate cases rather than a shopped rate. The state average is a reasonable proxy, though your utility's specific tariff still varies.
| Location | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska this page | 28.23¢ | $4.12 | $49.46 |
| US average | 18.44¢ | $2.69 | $32.31 |
| Idaho cheapest state | 12.35¢ | $1.80 | $21.64 |
| Hawaii most expensive | 52.00¢ | $7.60 | $91.10 |
Alaska electricity rate trend
Rates in Alaska have moved from 26.87¢ to 28.23¢ per kWh over the last twelve months of published data. Nationally, residential rates rose about 6.2% year over year.
2025-06 to 2026-05 · cents per kWh
About running a ceiling fan
Ceiling fans cost very little to run, but they cool people rather than rooms - they create a wind-chill effect on skin and do nothing to the air temperature. Leaving one running in an empty room is pure waste, though a small one.
What actually changes the cost
- Models vary widely, from about 15W to 90W. Check the nameplate on your own unit rather than assuming an average, because the spread is more than 2x.
- Insulation and air sealing reduce runtime, which lowers cost more reliably than adjusting the thermostat by a degree.
- If your utility offers time-of-use pricing, shifting this load off-peak can cut its cost substantially without using any less energy.
How we worked this out
The arithmetic is simple and we would rather show it than hide it. Divide watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by hours of use and by the duty cycle to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your rate:
60W ÷ 1000 × 8h = 0.480 kWh/day × 28.23¢ = $0.136 per day
One honest caveat: Alaska’s figure is a state average published by the EIA. Your own utility’s tariff, any time-of-use pricing, fixed monthly service charges and local taxes all shift the real number. Put your actual per-kWh rate into the calculator above for a figure that reflects your bill.
Questions about ceiling fan running costs
How many watts does a ceiling fan use?
A typical ceiling fan draws about 60 watts while running, with most models falling between 15W and 90W. Check the nameplate label or manual for your specific unit - the range is wide enough that averages can mislead.
How much electricity does a ceiling fan use per day?
At around 8 hours of use a day and a 100% duty cycle, that works out to roughly 0.48 kWh per day, or about 14 kWh a month. Your actual figure depends on your usage and model.
Why does the cost differ so much between states?
Residential electricity rates across the US range from about 12.35 cents per kWh in North Dakota to 46.62 cents in Hawaii - nearly a fourfold difference. The same ceiling fan, used identically, therefore costs almost four times as much to run in the most expensive state as in the cheapest.
Is it cheaper to run a ceiling fan at night?
Only if you are on a time-of-use or variable tariff. On a flat rate, the time of day makes no difference to cost. If you are on time-of-use pricing, off-peak hours are typically materially cheaper, and shifting this load can reduce its cost without reducing usage.