Delmarva Power has won approval for a 1.1 percent rate increase in Maryland, about half the increase it had requested.
The Maryland Public Service Commission approved the distribution rate increase for Delmarva’s Maryland customers, most of whom are on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The average monthly residential bill will increase by $1.66, Delmarva said.
Commercial and industrial customers in Maryland will also see rates go up 1.1 percent.
“This modest increase is justified primarily by construction costs incurred for the purpose of improving the reliability of the company’s electric distribution system,” the PSC said in a statement. Distribution rates cover infrastructure costs and are separate from supply rates.
The increase will generate an additional $7.5 million for the utility, half of what it had hoped to win approval for.
“We are disappointed, but we understand the Commission’s concern for customers in these challenging economic times,” Delmarva Power president Gary Stockbridge said in a statement.
Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings Inc. (NYSE: POM) says it is the third time in 15 years it has raised distribution rates.
29 comments:
I am so sick of these electric company bastards raping the public the truth be known it's the electric company who has caused most of the Bankruptcy's. If the President wants to help Americans forget health care stop the electric company !
Like Delmarva power doesn't already charge enough!
If the President of Delmarva Power is so understanding of the commission's position, then where was that understanding before they decided to as for an increase. What a bunch of BUNK!
Its amazing that DPL has to jack up their rates while other electrical companies like Choptank has lowered theirs .
My electric bill doubled about 3 years ago and they want to raise it more ? It's a monopoly and it needs to be addressed by our kick back taking politicians ! Were all screwed !
Still think 2010 is going to be a good year? It will bury us all.
Heres a good survey question.(How many people think they will make it through 2010 and still have their job & still own their homes?)
Shame we don't have other choices in electric companies. DP&L knows they've got us. I'm already on the budget system with them which is still over $200.00 every month. If it continues to increase I'll have to make another cut...where, who knows.
you really think they didnt know better than to ask for double what they really wanted?
I think Delaware co-op just had over a 9% decrease. Way to go Delmarva Power.
Why is Delmarva power so high? I have talked to people in different states and no one pays anywhere near the price Delmarva power customers pays.
Yes DE Electric Coop decreased their rates. I'm so glad we have them. Customer service is great. We used to have Delmarva Power and they just suck all the way around.
debeachgirl
Well isn't this just peachy keen. Poor litte Electric Company. My car insurance company just notified me that my insurance is increasing $65.20 a year because the state just approved that increase. I have lost 5 days pay (Furlough) and my husband has lost 8 days pay (Furlough), no pay increase but all these big companies, banks etc. get to increase my bills. When does it stop??? Hey guys there is no more money!!!
I am soo glad to be living in Choptanks service area.Except for one minor problem in the past,they have excellent customer service and they arent gouging people.
We cant afford delmarva power now it is not even the worse of winter yet and we have a $400 light bill . and every month you get a threat with a cut off notice. we can barely make ends meet and they are raising there prices.
Remember to beat the peak!
Is there something that can be done ?
DP&L is ruining peoples lives !
I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment and my bill last Jan was $ 380.00. I am not home at all during the day and I keep the thermo down (No, this was not an estimate!). Granted the building is poorly insulated, but I am in 1 of 12 Units!. I read the meter because I could not believe it and actually monitored it for a week to get an idea of how bad Feb was going to be. I cannot wait to see what this month will bring in 2010 for my bill. I guess my 11 year old an I will have to wrap up in blankets,coats,extra clothes. I am financially tapped out!!! Thanks Delmarva Power, hopefully people will not have to worry about burning their home down w/ space heaters because they cannot aford heat for their little ones. By the way .... don't I pay for other people who cannot aford heat???? what about me????
My bill was $ 380.00 last Jan. No, it was not an estimate! I actually monitored the meter for a week afterwards because I could not believe it. I am not home during the day and keep my thermo down and all the lights/appliances off. This is a 12 unit building (my unit is a small, 2 bedrooms). I guess my 11 year old an I will have to wear extra clothes/blankets etc. because I cannot afford to keep the place very warm. Don't I pay for other people who cannot aford heat??? what about the inmates at ECI??? I guess they deserve to be warm while my little one does not...hmm??? I have seen many devastating and deadly house fires start with people using space heaters because they cannot aford heat, especially in older farm houses. I know one that happened in Berlin where 2 children died. Thanks Delmarva Power!
They charge 3 0r 4 times your electric usage in surcharges F!@#$%^ crooks !!!
Yes. There is a fee attached to everyones bill that pays for some who can't pay their own bill. Yes. Delmarva Power is the highest around. Choptank is much less expensive. But just wait until they pass the cap and tax bill. Every household will be paying about $4000 per year more just to live. A huge part of that will be power, heat, gasoline, etc.
I agree with the poster who mentioned the fact the it would be nice to be able to choose who are electric company is. They price gouge!!! We are on the budget billing and pay 295.00 a month. What a bunch of crap!!
Do they REALLY need to raise it. We are struggling enough! They take Delmarva Power takes advantage of the fact that we have to have electric.
Somethings NEEDS to be done! SOON!
We are trying to get by this winter using space heaters only in the rooms we use. We don't heat the entire second floor of our house because we only sleep in one room (our kids are grown and gone), and we use two space heaters in our great room area where we spend our waking hours. Let me tell you -- we're COLD! Even so, our elec. bill last month was $384! I can't wait to see what it will be in Jan. and Feb.! God help us!
DP&L are a joke. I'm on budget & they increased my budget by over $100.00, my time on budget is not up until Feb. When I called they said they felt my usage was going to be more & so I wouldn't have a large balance when the budget plan was over, THEY decided to increase. When I mentioned I had over $300.00 in credit on my acct. They didn't have an answer except I had to pay the current amount & they would put me back to my original budget the following month. Also a few months ago, I had them come out to change my meter from dial to digital because their meter readers could read the dial meter correct, they kept over charging me & their comment when I called was "your on budget, it will work out in the end." Thank you DP& L we love you......
I'm sick of these bastards they will cut you off in a second I wish Choptank was available where I live !
Disgusting. I am an ANEC customer in VA. Not only did our rates go down this year, we also received our annual rebate check. They are a very responsive company, too. DPL could take a lesson or maybe ANEC would like to move to this part of the shore and provide some competition.
351 more days of loss, high gas prices, high food bills and crime. Go Obama!
I don;'y
I don't agree with hiking up electric rates at all; however, all of you folks complaining about your $300+ electric bills need to do something on your side as well! Fortunately for me, I have a natural gas furnace & I heat 2,600 sq ft of living space & during the winter I've never had a gas bill over $80 & my electric bill has never been over $50. Collectively, during the winter I have never had energy costs exceed $130 per month! I have an electric Central Air system & during the summer I have never had an electric bill over $110 or gas bill over $15-collectively $125 per month in energy costs. I keep my home heated to a warm 72 degrees during the winter & cooled to a chilly 69 degrees during the summer. So what does that tell me about you folks complaining about your gas bills? It tells me that you have not taken the steps necessary to make your home more energy efficient! If you're paying $300 per month compared to my $130 (or less) per month, you are paying AT LEAST $2,000 more per a year in energy costs! Instead of complaining, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Home improvements that reduce energy consumption are some of the best return investments you can make! Insulation costs next to nothing, new windows can pay themselves off in a year or two, a programmable thermostat can pay itself off in as little at 2 months! Did you know that you can run at least 4 compact florescent light bulbs on the same amount of energy that it takes to run ONE normal 60 watt bulb? Count the bulbs in your house-I personally have over 100 bulbs that I have replaced with energy saving CFL's. Let's do some math here...
These are my current electric rates as billed last month:
Distribution charge = $0.034536 per KWH
Supply Charge = $0.107335 per KWH
I know there are some other "admin" rates, but they are rather minimal compared to the Supply & Distribution charges.
When on for one hour, A normal 60 Watt bulb consumes .06 KWH.
Let’s say that I, on average, have 30 bulbs on for 5 hours a day for 30 days it would cost me
Distribution charges = 30 x 30 x 5 x .06 x $0.034536 = $9.32
Supply Charges = 30 x 30 x 5 x .06 x $0.107335 = $28.98
My monthly electric charges for lighting alone would cost approximately $38.30
When on for one hour, a "60 Watt" CLF bulb consumes .014 KWH.
For the same light usage with CLF bulbs it would cost me
Distribution Charges = 30 x 30 x 5 x .014 x $0.034536 = $2.17
Supply Charges = 30 x 30 x 5 x .014 x $0.107335 = $6.76
My monthly electric charges for lighting alone would cost approximately $8.93!
Based on these calculations, I save approximately $29.37 per month just by swapping out 30 regular 60 watt bulbs to CFLs! That's an annual savings of approximately $352.44! A 14 Watt CFL bulb (puts out the equivalent light of a normal 60 watt bulb) costs roughly $1.50-swapping out these 30 bulbs would cost about $45 & you would recover your investment in less than 2 months! Keep in mind that this light usage scenario is rather minimal especially considering that I have 4 exterior bulbs that are on 24 hours a day! And don’t forget than CFL bulbs have a MUCH longer life span over conventional bulbs!
People, take initiatives towards energy savings & you will not be let down. Sure, some of those energy saving home improvements can be expensive but you can do little things to make it a lot easier on yourselves.
Joe, may I make a suggestion for the blog? I think that it would be a great idea to create posts or maybe even "side bar" on your blog on energy saving tips of the week or such! I'm an energy nut & I know of a lot of things that can be done to help folks save money. Most people don't know of the simple tips & tricks or the more elaborate tax credits that the government offers. This blog is great & I feel that the community could use this, what do you say?!
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