As　a　major　composition　of　the　total　carbon　emission　in　China,　the　carbon　emissions　from　residential　electricity　consumption　continue　to　grow.　Residential　electricity　conservation　has　special　significance　for　carbon　emission　reduction.　Therefore,　it　is　necessary　to　study　the　determinants　of　residential　electricity　conservation　behaviors.　Based　on　data　from　survey　questions,　this　article　analyzed　the　determinants　of　electricity　saving　behaviors　by　means　of　multivariate　regression　model,　and　assessed　residential　electricity　conservation　potential　under　four　price　intervention　experiments.　The　results　show　that　family　income,　geographic　features　show　significant　influences　towards　resident　electricity　conservation　behaviors.　The　groups　with　higher　income　lack　control　over　the　electricity　consumption.　In　this　case,　citizens　in　Beijing　and　Guiyang　show　higher　awareness　to　save　energy　than　those　in　Guangzhou　and　Hangzhou.　Also,　confronting　electricity　price　increase,　residents’　energy-saving　potential　are　higher　along　with　price　adjustments.　When　the　electricity　price　rises　by　0.05　CNY,　0.1　CNY,　0.2　CNY,　and　0.5　CNY,　residents　are　willing　to　reduce　electricity　consumption　by　4.36,　8.33,　13.39　and　21.04%,　respectively.　Based　on　these　findings,　this　paper　indicates　that　it　is　effective　to　expand　ladder　price　differences　across　different　income　groups　which　can　better　meet　the　overall　demand　for　electricity.　©　2020,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.