Vampire Power: How Much Standby Electricity Costs a Year

Quick answer

Vampire power (also called standby power or phantom load) is the electricity devices use while they are switched off or waiting. Each watt drawn around the clock uses 8.76 kWh a year, about $1.60 a year at the U.S. average home price for July 2026 (18.31¢ per kWh, according to the EIA). Most product types in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s standby data cost under $5 a year at their typical reading; a typical cable box costs about $13, and an Xbox Series X left in Sleep around the clock about $21. LBNL puts standby at 5% to 10% of home electricity use, or about $99 to $198 a year for an average U.S. home.

What counts as vampire power

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), which has studied standby power for over 20 years, also counts power a device uses when it is not doing its main job. Some of it does useful work, like listening for a remote, running a clock, or charging a battery.

How to tell if something draws it. Almost any product with an external power supply, an internal battery, a remote control, a continuous display (even one small LED), or a constant network connection draws power all the time, according to LBNL.

The math: each watt costs about $1.60 a year

Standby power runs all 8,760 hours of the year, so:

Cost per year = standby watts × 8,760 ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh

• 1 watt × 8,760 hours = 8.76 kWh a year
• 8.76 kWh × $0.1831 = $1.60 a year at the U.S. average for July 2026
• $1.11 a year in Louisiana (12.72¢, the lowest state price that month) and $4.20 in Hawaii (48.00¢, the highest)

How much power devices use when they are off

LBNL compiles standby readings for common products from academic studies and lab measurements. Parentheses show how many readings it had for each.

Device (readings)	Typical standby	Middle half of readings	Per year at the typical draw	Per year at the high end of the middle half
Television (36)	0.95 W	0.22 to 4.08 W	8.3 kWh, $1.52	$6.54
Cable or satellite box (21)	8 W	4 to 14 W	70.1 kWh, $12.83	$22.46
Game console (21)	1.7 W	0.4 to 5.7 W	14.9 kWh, $2.73	$9.14
Streaming media player (6)	1.9 W	1.1 to 2.49 W	16.6 kWh, $3.05	$3.99
Home theater speakers (9)	3 W	1 to 6.8 W	26.3 kWh, $4.81	$10.91
Desktop computer (17)	2.7 W	1.5 to 3.48 W	23.7 kWh, $4.33	$5.58
Laptop computer (13)	1.6 W	0.7 to 4.3 W	14.0 kWh, $2.57	$6.90
Computer monitor (15)	0.6 W	0.5 to 2.3 W	5.3 kWh, $0.96	$3.69
Printer (15)	2.61 W	2.18 to 3.25 W	22.9 kWh, $4.19	$5.21
Internet access equipment, such as a modem or router (13)	3.32 W	1.3 to 4 W	29.1 kWh, $5.33	$6.42
Electronics charger (9)	0.52 W	0.2 to 0.92 W	4.6 kWh, $0.83	$1.48
Microwave (13)	1.5 W	0.9 to 2.7 W	13.1 kWh, $2.41	$4.33
Coffee maker (9)	0.95 W	0.49 to 3.26 W	8.3 kWh, $1.52	$5.23
Washing machine (10)	2.35 W	1.08 to 3.9 W	20.6 kWh, $3.77	$6.26
Air conditioner (11)	4 W	1.9 to 5.81 W	35.0 kWh, $6.42	$9.32
Security camera (17)	3.5 W	3 to 4.9 W	30.7 kWh, $5.61	$7.86
Smart light bulb (32)	0.4 W	0.35 to 0.49 W	3.5 kWh, $0.64	$0.79
Smoke/CO alarm (17)	0.74 W	0.41 to 0.99 W	6.5 kWh, $1.19	$1.59

Cost per year = watts × 8,760 hours ÷ 1,000 × $0.1831. The middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile of LBNL's readings. Your own device may draw more or less. Source: LBNL Standby Power, List of Standby Products (November 2022); costs at the EIA U.S. residential average for July 2026 (18.31¢/kWh)

What stands out:

• Cable and satellite boxes draw the most here. The highest box in LBNL’s data drew 30 watts, about $48 a year. A home with two set-top boxes uses significantly more electricity than a new refrigerator, according to DOE’s Energy Saver Guide.
• The same kind of device varies a lot. The highest TV reading was 23.8 watts, about $38 a year. ENERGY STAR certified TVs must stay at or under 0.5 watts in standby, or 1.0 watt in network standby: $0.80 to $1.60 a year.
• Some loads are easy to forget. LBNL has two readings for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS battery backups), at about 25 watts, or $41 a year.
• Small loads add up. A TV, cable box, game console, streaming player, and home theater speakers at their typical readings draw about 15.6 watts together, about $25 a year.

What vampire power costs a whole home

Government estimates land in the same range:

• LBNL: standby typically adds up to 5% to 10% of residential electricity use. The average U.S. residential customer bought 10,791 kWh in 2022 (EIA), so that is 540 to 1,079 kWh, or about $99 to $198 a year at 18.31¢ per kWh.
• DOE: standby could cost the average household as much as $100 a year (2022), and could add 5% to 10% to your monthly bill, per its Energy Saver Guide.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): vampire loads add up to about $200 a year for an average home (2013 estimate).

For a measured number, LBNL’s study of ten Northern California homes found total standby loads of 14 to 169 watts, averaging 67 watts. The study is from 2000, but LBNL says the total has stayed about the same: each product draws less (about 0.5 watts, down from 1 to 3), but the number of products with standby grew even faster. A 67-watt load uses 587 kWh a year, 5.4% of the EIA average, and costs about $107.47 a year at the U.S. average, $74.66 in Louisiana, and $281.72 in Hawaii. The table shows every state, using 30-day months.

Cost to run a 67-watt whole-home standby load 24 hours a day, by state (July 2026 rates)

State	Rate (¢/kWh)	Per hour	Per day	Per month (30 days)
U.S. average	18.31¢	$0.012	$0.29	$8.83
Alabama	16.40¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.91
Alaska	28.83¢	$0.019	$0.46	$13.91
Arizona	15.38¢	$0.010	$0.25	$7.42
Arkansas	14.33¢	$0.010	$0.23	$6.91
California	33.61¢	$0.023	$0.54	$16.21
Colorado	17.00¢	$0.011	$0.27	$8.20
Connecticut	24.16¢	$0.016	$0.39	$11.65
Delaware	18.48¢	$0.012	$0.30	$8.91
District of Columbia	25.21¢	$0.017	$0.41	$12.16
Florida	15.03¢	$0.010	$0.24	$7.25
Georgia	16.27¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.85
Hawaii	48.00¢	$0.032	$0.77	$23.16
Idaho	13.73¢	$0.009	$0.22	$6.62
Illinois	19.22¢	$0.013	$0.31	$9.27
Indiana	16.73¢	$0.011	$0.27	$8.07
Iowa	15.99¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.71
Kansas	15.27¢	$0.010	$0.25	$7.37
Kentucky	13.81¢	$0.009	$0.22	$6.66
Louisiana	12.72¢	$0.009	$0.20	$6.14
Maine	32.41¢	$0.022	$0.52	$15.63
Maryland	21.41¢	$0.014	$0.34	$10.33
Massachusetts	30.49¢	$0.020	$0.49	$14.71
Michigan	23.05¢	$0.015	$0.37	$11.12
Minnesota	17.45¢	$0.012	$0.28	$8.42
Mississippi	14.54¢	$0.010	$0.23	$7.01
Missouri	16.09¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.76
Montana	14.99¢	$0.010	$0.24	$7.23
Nebraska	13.78¢	$0.009	$0.22	$6.65
Nevada	12.77¢	$0.009	$0.21	$6.16
New Hampshire	26.60¢	$0.018	$0.43	$12.83
New Jersey	25.19¢	$0.017	$0.41	$12.15
New Mexico	16.09¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.76
New York	29.90¢	$0.020	$0.48	$14.42
North Carolina	15.16¢	$0.010	$0.24	$7.31
North Dakota	13.41¢	$0.009	$0.22	$6.47
Ohio	19.45¢	$0.013	$0.31	$9.38
Oklahoma	14.35¢	$0.010	$0.23	$6.92
Oregon	15.97¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.70
Pennsylvania	21.72¢	$0.015	$0.35	$10.48
Rhode Island	28.29¢	$0.019	$0.45	$13.65
South Carolina	15.47¢	$0.010	$0.25	$7.46
South Dakota	15.37¢	$0.010	$0.25	$7.41
Tennessee	13.71¢	$0.009	$0.22	$6.61
Texas	15.88¢	$0.011	$0.26	$7.66
Utah	13.12¢	$0.009	$0.21	$6.33
Vermont	23.75¢	$0.016	$0.38	$11.46
Virginia	17.55¢	$0.012	$0.28	$8.47
Washington	14.71¢	$0.010	$0.24	$7.10
West Virginia	15.78¢	$0.011	$0.25	$7.61
Wisconsin	19.06¢	$0.013	$0.31	$9.19
Wyoming	14.36¢	$0.010	$0.23	$6.93

How to find the vampires in your home

1. Check your use at 3 a.m. If your smart meter shows hourly data, DOE suggests comparing 3 a.m. with 7 p.m. The 3 a.m. number should be much lower; if not, you may have vampire loads. The fridge, heating or cooling, and water heater also run at night, so treat it as an upper limit.
2. Measure single devices with a plug-in usage monitor. DOE lists these at about $25 to $50 at most hardware stores, and LBNL notes some libraries lend them. Most are reasonably accurate, LBNL says, but errors grow below about 1 watt.
3. Price a group of devices. Add up the standby watts at one spot and multiply by $1.60 a year. Or enter the total below with 24 hours a day (choose Something else (enter your own)). For other appliances, use the appliance cost calculator.

Settings that cut standby without unplugging

Game consoles

On an Xbox, Sleep allows fast startup and remote wake. Shutdown (energy saving) uses the least power and still gets automatic updates, but the console can take up to 45 seconds to start.

Console	Shutdown (energy saving)	Sleep	Extra cost of Sleep per year
Xbox Series X	0.5 W ($0.80 a year)	13 W ($20.85 a year)	$20.05
Xbox Series S	0.4 W ($0.64 a year)	10 W ($16.04 a year)	$15.40
Xbox One S	0.5 W ($0.80 a year)	11 W ($17.64 a year)	$16.84

Yearly cost assumes the console sits in that mode all 8,760 hours of the year. Hours spent playing lower the real figure. Source: Xbox Support, About power options on Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S (power figures); costs at the EIA U.S. residential average for July 2026 (18.31¢/kWh)

To switch, press the Xbox button, then go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options and select Shutdown (energy saving).

On a PlayStation 5, rest mode features such as Supply Power to USB Ports or Stay Connected to the Internet keep the console from automatically dropping below 0.5 watts in rest mode, Sony says, and more features mean more power. They are under Settings > System > Power Saving. Don’t Put in Rest Mode keeps the console on, which uses more.

TVs and computers

LG’s Quick Start+ keeps the TV in standby when off so it starts faster, and LG says it may increase energy use. On 2021 and 2022 LG models, it is under All Settings > General > Devices > TV Management > Quick Start+. On other brands, check the manual for a quick-start or instant-on option. When you shop, look for the ENERGY STAR label; DOE and LBNL both say ENERGY STAR products tend to have lower standby power.

For computers and monitors, DOE’s Energy Saver Guide recommends power settings that put them to sleep after a period of inactivity.

What to unplug, and what to leave alone

LBNL’s best targets are things you rarely or never use and seasonal gear that sits idle for months:

• Unused VCRs and DVD players, and rarely used audio gear
• Empty battery chargers (DOE also says to unplug chargers once batteries are full)
• Rarely used kitchen and office gear: rice cookers, bread makers, scanners, shredders, older printers
• A UPS with nothing connected to it
• The TV, set-top box, and sound bar in a guest room
• Off-season gear: room air conditioners, portable humidifiers, dehumidifiers, garden tools, e-bike chargers

Some things should stay plugged in, DOE adds, such as the refrigerator and a bedroom alarm clock, while items like a toaster oven do not need to be.

Advanced power strips: which type fits

Devices on a regular strip keep drawing power, while an advanced (smart) strip can detect standby mode and cut it, DOE says. A plain strip with an on/off switch also works if you flip it off yourself. NREL sorts advanced strips into five types:

Type	How it works	NREL suggests it when	Drawback
Timer	Turns outlets off on a preset schedule	You fall asleep with things on	You have to set the timer and stick to the schedule
Activity monitor	Turns outlets off when it detects no motion or remote use	You fall asleep with things on	Motion sensors do not always work perfectly
Remote switch	You switch outlets off with a remote or tethered switch	You prefer to do it yourself	Saves nothing unless you remember each time
Master-controlled	When the main device (TV or computer) turns off, it cuts power to the controlled outlets	You often forget, your computer sleeps, or a laptop stays docked	Choosing the master device can be tricky
Masterless	When all controlled devices are off, it cuts power to those outlets	You want it automatic, your computer shuts down, or a laptop moves often	Turning off one high-powered device could turn off the whole strip

Source: NREL, Saving Energy Through Advanced Power Strips (poster, October 2013)

Smart plugs draw a little power themselves: LBNL’s table puts them at a typical 0.25 watts, about $0.40 a year.

How much can you really save?

Limited research suggests an informed and aggressive approach can cut standby use by about 20%, LBNL says. For a home at the 67-watt average, that is about 117 kWh, or $21.49 a year. LBNL also says plainly that an hour of effort can save more energy elsewhere.

One change can match that: switching an Xbox Series X from Sleep to Shutdown (energy saving) is worth up to about $20 a year. For bigger savings, see how to lower your electric bill. DOE also suggests getting rid of an extra refrigerator; see how much electricity a refrigerator uses.

How we calculated these numbers

• Prices: EIA Electric Power Monthly, average residential price by state for July 2026 (Table 5.6.A, released September 24, 2026). It is a statewide average, not your exact plan.
• Standby watts: LBNL’s List of Standby Products (November 2022), Xbox Support, and ENERGY STAR’s TV criteria. Costs assume 8,760 hours a year; a device in use part of the day costs a little less.
• Rounding: costs are rounded to the cent. We recalculate when the EIA publishes new monthly prices.