DELAWARE - Gov. Matt Meyer is calling for immediate action on rising electricity costs in Delaware by urging regulators, lawmakers and utilities to prioritize affordability for ratepayers during the final weeks of the legislative session.
Meyer said many Delaware families are struggling to keep up with rising utility bills and has outlined four goals he would like to see done on the issue.
First being a reset of Delmarva Power's profit model. Meyer called on the Public Advocate to file a petition with the Public Service Commission to act within the next six months. Meyer said that doing this would make him the first governor in the state's history to sign on to such a petition.
The next goal is to freeze electric utility rates immediately in an effort to protect customers from "unfair rate increases." Third, Meyer called for action on new energy generation projects like solar projects and getting them connected to the power grid.
Lastly, Meyer called on the legislature to pass Senator Hansen's Senate Bill 326 and Representative Burns' House Bill 233. SB 326 would aim to increase customer protections by improving transparency in rates and communication by public utilities, requiring regular management audits, consistency in data used by public utilities, and more. HB 233 would require utilities to establish a separate rate for large energy-use facilities to mitigate the risk of costs associated with expanding infrastructure and maintaining reliability "in the face of growing demand from being shifted to residential, small business, and other electric customers."
"From Selbyville to Claymont, the rise in utility bills has hit every Delaware household hard, and that is why the 153rd General Assembly has been laser-focused on energy affordability and accountability from our public utilities,” said Sen. Stephanie Hansen.
The governor pointed to Delmarva Power’s pending request to collect an additional $68 million from customers beginning July 9. He also noted that Exelon, Delmarva Power’s parent company, recently reported $7.24 billion in revenue, exceeding forecasts by more than $300 million.
Meyer urged the Public Service Commission to closely review utility spending, future rate requests and whether current utility profit structures continue to serve the public interest.
In response, Delmarva Power said it shares concerns about affordability but defended its rate request and infrastructure investments.
“We understand that every dollar matters to the families and businesses we serve,” the company said in a statement.
Delmarva Power said its rate review reflects investments already made to strengthen reliability, including stronger poles, new substations and upgraded technology. The company said those improvements helped support grid performance during recent heat waves and winter storms.
The utility also noted that it does not control or profit from PJM energy supply costs, which it said account for 90 percent of customer bill increases since 2024. Delmarva Power said it is pursuing an “all-of-the-above” strategy that includes renewable energy expansion, energy efficiency efforts, market reforms and infrastructure investments.
The company also highlighted a proposal before the Delaware Public Service Commission that would provide a 20 percent discount on the electric delivery portion of bills for low- to moderate-income customers.
“We share the goal of Governor Meyer and every Delaware family: an energy system that is reliable, affordable, and ready for the future,” said Delmarva Power.
The last day of the 2026 Delaware legislative session is June 30.
