# Heat pump vs. electric furnace and AC on PUD No 1 of Benton County rates (WA)

> **Quick answer** (updated 2026-11-10): As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft electrically heated home on PUD No 1 of Benton County electricity rates in Washington that needs a new furnace and AC: A heat pump comes out ahead here even with a high quote: about $9,300 less than a new furnace and AC over 15 years at typical prices, and $700 a year less to run.

- Verdict: **heat pump ahead at any quote**
- Heat pump yearly running cost vs. a new electric furnace and AC: $700 less
- Break-even quote gap: the heat pump wins over 15 years if its quote is no more than $10,500 above the like-for-like quote
- Interactive calculator (change size, insulation, fuel, prices, ZIP): https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-benton-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/
- Machine-readable data: https://meterwise.app/data/v1/utilities/wa/pud-no-1-of-benton-county.json

## Typical home: costs by option

1,800 sq ft, average insulation, heating with electricity, furnace and AC both need replacing.

| Option | Installed (typical) | Installed range | Rebates | Energy per year | 15-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New electric furnace + new AC | $11,760 | $8,510–$15,230 | – | $1,080 | $28,000 |
| Heat pump (replaces both) | $12,880 | $8,960–$16,800 | – | $380 | $18,600 |
| High-efficiency cold-climate heat pump | $16,800 | $12,320–$22,400 | – | $310 | $21,400 |

## Inputs

- Electricity: PUD No 1 of Benton County's average residential price in WA (EIA), $0.088/kWh; the winter price of extra kWh is estimated at $0.070/kWh. Enter your own rate for a closer answer. Typical-bill price 8.8¢/kWh, -38% vs. the Washington average of 14.2¢/kWh.
- Weather: Richland, 4,935 heating and 795 cooling degree days a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
- Gas: $1.61/therm (Washington winter average, EIA); propane $2.69/gallon; heating oil $6.15/gallon.
- Homes in this utility's Washington area heat with electricity 76%, gas 21%, other 2%, propane 1% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023).
- Installed prices: published study ranges, scaled for home size and Washington HVAC installer wages (BLS).
- Rebates: not yet checked in Washington, so not included.

## Common questions

**Is a heat pump worth it for PUD No 1 of Benton County customers?**
As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft electrically heated home on PUD No 1 of Benton County electricity rates in Washington that needs a new furnace and AC: A heat pump comes out ahead here even with a high quote: about $9,300 less than a new furnace and AC over 15 years at typical prices, and $700 a year less to run.

**How much does a heat pump cost to run on PUD No 1 of Benton County's rates?**
About $380 a year for heating and cooling with the Heat pump (replaces both) option, against $1,080 for New electric furnace + new AC.

**What electricity price does this use?**
Electricity: PUD No 1 of Benton County's average residential price in WA (EIA), $0.088/kWh; the winter price of extra kWh is estimated at $0.070/kWh. Enter your own rate for a closer answer.

## Method

Heating and cooling need from local weather, floor area and insulation; each option's efficiency (heat pumps lose
efficiency in the cold and use backup heat in cold months) turns that into kWh and fuel; electricity is priced
through the utility's tariff; installed costs come from published ranges. Full method: https://meterwise.app/about/index.md

Estimates for a typical home, not a quote or financial advice.

## Other Washington utilities

- [Benton Rural Electric Assn](https://meterwise.app/wa/benton-rural-electric-assn/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Big Bend Electric Coop, Inc](https://meterwise.app/wa/big-bend-electric-coop-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Chelan County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-chelan-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Clallam County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-clallam-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Clark County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-clark-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Columbia Rural Elec Assn, Inc](https://meterwise.app/wa/columbia-rural-elec-assn-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Cowlitz County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-cowlitz-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Douglas County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-douglas-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Franklin County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-franklin-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Grays Harbor County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-grays-harbor-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Inland Power & Light Company](https://meterwise.app/wa/inland-power-and-light-company/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [PUD No 1 of Klickitat County](https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-klickitat-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [All Washington utilities](https://meterwise.app/wa/index.md)

## Cite this page

MeterWise, "Heat pump vs. electric furnace and AC on PUD No 1 of Benton County rates (WA)", updated 2026-11-10, https://meterwise.app/wa/pud-no-1-of-benton-county/heat-pump-vs-furnace/. Data licensed CC BY 4.0.