LEWES, Del. - Delmarva Power is moving forward with a proposed $75.8 million rate increase aimed at maintaining and improving its energy grid, a move that could raise customers' electric bills by approximately $8 per month.
The company says the additional funding would help maintain aging infrastructure, including power poles, wires, substations and transformers, to improve reliability and prevent outages.
"All the infrastructure that you see out there, poles, wires, substations, the transformers. That is what we are actually in control of regarding your bill. So we have to make sure that things are resilient as equipment ages," a Delmarva Power representative said.
Delmarva Power Regional President Marcus Beal says replacing aging equipment is necessary to maintain reliable service and prevent longer power outages.
"In this particular case, we have a few transformers that are over 50 years old showing signs of failure. So we want to make sure that we're replacing those items before they run to failure. That way we can control the outage duration."
Public comment sessions were held in Lewes, New Castle County and Kent County, giving customers an opportunity to express how the proposed rate increase could affect them.
Delmarva Power first applied for the rate increase in December of last year. The proposal now awaits a decision from the Delaware Public Service Commission, which must determine whether to approve the increase by Dec. 9.
If approved, the rate increase would help fund the company's planned improvements to its electrical infrastructure, while adding approximately $8 to customers' monthly bills.
