ELECTRIC REGULATION IN DELAWARE |
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ROLE OF THE COMMISSION
In 1999, the General Assembly passed legislation restructuring the electric industry in Delaware. Prior to restructuring, the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power by investor-owned utilities was fully regulated by the PSC. With restructuring, the generation of electric power became deregulated, leaving only distribution services under the regulatory control of the PSC. The pricing of electric transmission is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
In 2006, faced with significantly increase energy costs, the General Assembly passed a revision to the restructuring legislation entitled "The Electric Utilities Retail Supply Act of 2006." The Act provides that all electric distribution companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission would be designated as the standard offer service supplier and returning customer service supplier in their respective territories. The Act provided further opportunity for distribution companies to enter into long and short-term supply contracts, own and operate generation facilities, build generation and transmission facilities, make investments in demand-side resources and take any other Commission approved action to diversify their retail load supply. Additionally, Delmarva Power is required to conduct Integrated Resource Planning for a forward-looking 10 year time frame and to file such plan with the Commission, the Controller General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Energy Office every two years starting with December 1, 2006. As part of the initial planning process, Delmarva Power is required to file a proposal to obtain long-term supply contracts. The proposal requires Delmarva Power to include a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the construction of new generation resources within Delaware. Delaware IRP/RFP
REGULATED UTILITIES
Delmarva Power - Delaware Tariff
CONSUMER INFORMATION
- Electric Choice - Customers of the Delaware Electric Cooperative and Delmarva Power may now have a choice in which company will provide their electric energy supply (distribution of electric will still remain with the respective utility). Electric suppliers must be certified by the Commission prior to offering electric supply service to consumers. The List of Certified Electric Suppliers provides the telephone numbers and websites of electric suppliers that may be offering services to residential, commercial or industrial customers. This list is updated as often as information becomes available, but the Commission would urge customers to contact all potential suppliers to determine if a company is offering service. Before switching, the Consumer Energy Education Group (CEEG) has created a list of questions to ask potential electric suppliers.
- General Information
- For general consumer information, including how to file a complaint, please visit our Consumer Assistance page.
- Delaware Public Service Commission Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Delmarva Power provides important consumer information on billing, customer service issues and safety.
- Energy Procurement for Standard Offer Service ("SOS") customers of Delmarva Power and Light
- Consumer Energy Education Group ("CEEG") - The Consumer Energy Education Group ("CEEG") is a group of state government and industry representatives with different areas of expertise but one common goal: to help Delawareans use available resources to save energy and manage their energy costs. CEEG recently completed a series of statewide community events to help consumers cope with anticipated energy rate increases.
- Consumer Reference - The following websites offer consumer information about electric issues:
- The Delaware Energy Office offers educational material on a wide variety of energy issues, including energy conservation, energy and the environment, green energy, and others.
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- U.S. Department of Energy
IMPORTANT OR PENDING CASES
A complete list of all electric related cases filed with the Commission is available on the Commission's Regulated Utility Filings page.
Following is a list of cases that have, or are likely to, generate a significant amount of public interest. To assist the public with participation in these matters, links to the application or formal complaint, the procedural schedule (if applicable), and Commission Orders entered in a case are provided here. In limited cases, additional documents are available for viewing from the website.
All case related documents are available for review by appointment at the Commission Office in Dover, Delaware, or at the Office of the Public Advocate in Wilmington, Delaware.
- INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLANNING REGULATIONS - PSC Regulation Docket No. 60
- DELMARVA POWER AND LIGHT: PSC Docket No. 07-20 - Integrated Resource Plan
- HORIZON POWER AND LIGHT, LLC: PSC Docket No. 355-08 (filed October 15, 2008) - Commission investigation into the business and marketing practices of Horizon Power and Light, LLC.
- Formal Complaint by Commission Staff (October 15, 2008)
- Notice of Evidentiary Hearings, July 20 - 22, 2009
- Procedural Schedule (updated May 8, 2009)
- Commission Orders
- 7539 (Mar. 17, 2009) - Placing Horizon Power and Light, LLC on notice that, going forward from March 17, 2009, the costs of this complaint investigation will be charged to it.
LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL ISSUES
- At the April 7, 2009 Commission Meeting, Chad Tolman made a presentation titled "Energy and Climate Change - Impact on De and our Response". Mr. Tolman also provided a list of Recommended Reading.
- PSC Docket No. 06-241 - Information and documents regarding Delmarva Power's RFP process for the construction of new generation resources in Delaware to serve it Standard Offer Service customers. This case ended in Delmarva Power entering into a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with Blue Water Wind, LLC.
- Electric Industry Restructuring in Delaware
- Regulatory Authority: 26 Delaware Code, Chapter 10
- As part of the Delmarva Power & Light Company merger with Potomac Electric Power Company (PSC Docket No. 01-194), the Commission, in PSC Order No. 5941, signed April 16, 2001, approved a proposed settlement which, among other things, extended the rate caps for customers of Delmarva Power & Light Company until May 1, 2006.
- Rate caps for residential customers of the Delaware Electric Cooperative ended on March 31, 2005.
- Rules for Certification and Regulation of Electric Suppliers PSC Order No. 7435
- List of Certified Electric Suppliers with additional contact information. Before switching, the Consumer Energy Education Group (CEEG) has created a list of questions to ask potential electric suppliers.
- Delaware Electric Supply Choice Enrollment Information: shows the number and classification of customers switching.
- Consumer Energy Education Group: The Consumer Energy Education Group is holding periodic meetings. Contact the Commission for additional information.
- Customer-Owned Generation: Interconnection standards for customers of Delmarva Power and the Delaware Electric Cooperative who own on-site generation under one megawatt (MW) and wish to interconnect with the utility electric grid.
- Electric Transmission: PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM) is the regional transmission organization (RTO) responsible for the transmission of electricity in the region that includes all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
- The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC): NARUC membership is comprised of the governmental agencies engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The NARUC website provides information about the issues facing the energy, telecommunications, and water/wastewater industries at the national level.
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