What is kW vs kWh?
Plain-English explanation from a licensed Utah HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractor.
kW (kilowatt) is a rate of power, how fast you're using electricity right now. kWh (kilowatt-hour) is a quantity of energy, what you actually get billed for, based on how long that power flowed.
Full Definition
A kilowatt (kW) is a unit of instantaneous power equal to 1,000 watts. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit of energy equal to using 1 kW for 1 hour. Your home's hourly demand might be 3 kW; if it ran that hard for a full hour you'd consume 3 kWh. Rocky Mountain Power bills Utah residential customers per kWh consumed, with a small fixed monthly customer charge.
When sizing solar systems, evaluating EV charging costs, or comparing appliance energy use, the kW/kWh distinction matters. A 3.3 kW Level 2 EV charger consumed over 8 hours uses 26.4 kWh, a few dollars at Utah residential rates depending on time-of-use plan.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to run my AC for an hour in Utah?
A typical 3-ton SEER2 16 system draws 2.2 to 2.8 kW. At Rocky Mountain Power's tier-2 summer rate that is well under a dollar an hour, even if it runs 8 hours a day.
What's a typical Utah home's kWh use?
Utah residential average is about 750 kWh/month, varying widely with electric heat (1,500+ kWh) vs. gas heat (550 kWh average) and AC usage.
Related Terms
EV Charger
A Level 2 EV charger is a 240-volt circuit and wall-mounted unit that adds 20-40 miles of range per hour of charging, about 5x faster than the 120V Level 1 cord that ships with most EVs.
Main Electrical Panel
The main panel (or 'service panel,' 'load center,' 'breaker box') is the central electrical distribution point in your home, where utility power comes in, is metered, and is divided into the individual circuit breakers that protect each room and appliance.
Recent ELECTRICAL work in Utah
A few installs and service calls from the AYSP crew.
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