State Energy Profile

DE Electricity market guide

Delaware ElectricityRates and Electric Choice

Understand rates, suppliers, local delivery and plan details before comparing electricity options in Delaware.

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Delaware retail choice is best understood through Delmarva Power. The Delaware Public Service Commission says the current electric-choice option described for consumers is available to Delmarva Power electric customers, who can stay on Standard Offer Service or contract with an active third-party supplier. Delmarva continues to deliver the electricity either way. In May 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a statewide residential average of 19.38¢ per kWh, but that all-in statewide statistic should not be confused with the supply benchmark used to judge a supplier offer.

LOCATION CHANGES THE MATH

Start with your Delaware ZIP code

Rates, utilities and available plans can change by service area. Use your ZIP code as the first local filter.

Eligibility comes before shopping

Delaware established electric supply choice in 1999 by deregulating the supply portion of service. The present consumer-choice path described by the PSC is still utility-specific, which is why the historical statewide reform should not be interpreted as identical shopping access for every electric account.

A Delaware address should not be treated as automatically eligible for the same retail-choice process. Verify the local electric utility first. For a Delmarva Power customer, the supply portion can be purchased from an alternative supplier while Delmarva retains the distribution role and continues billing regulated utility service. That service-territory condition is the first filter BestEnergyDeal should apply before presenting a supplier comparison.

Standard Offer Service is the baseline

If an eligible Delmarva customer does not select a third-party supplier, Standard Offer Service provides the supply arrangement. Use the current Standard Offer or Price to Compare information as the control case. A competitive supplier should be evaluated against that live benchmark at the household’s own consumption level. The comparison is not “supplier price versus total electric bill”; it is alternative supply contract versus the supply arrangement the customer would otherwise receive.

The June 2026 change shows why timing matters

Delaware officials reported a material increase in Delmarva Standard Offer supply beginning June 1, 2026. The percentage change in the supply component was larger than the estimated change in the total bill because delivery and other charges remained separate. That distinction is important. A higher default supply price can improve the relative position of competitive offers, but it does not automatically validate every alternative contract. A shopper still needs to examine the term, rate type, fees, and what happens after the initial pricing period.

Certified supplier is not the same as an active residential offer

The Delaware PSC maintains supplier information, but a company that is certified in the state may not necessarily be marketing a current product to every residential account class. Confirm that the specific offer is active for the address before treating it as comparable. The current bill should be the working document: note the existing supply arrangement, recent kWh, and any contract end date, then calculate the proposed supplier on the same basis.

Watch the handoff from introductory pricing

Many poor comparisons begin and end with the first advertised rate. Ask whether the price is fixed or variable, whether a monthly fee applies, how cancellation works, and what the supplier can charge after the opening term. A low starting price may still be a weak deal if the agreement renews into a less favorable structure. The household should know the next pricing rule before enrolling, not discover it on a later bill.

Use renewable claims as a separate decision factor

If an offer emphasizes renewable content, verify the product disclosure and compare the environmental attribute independently from the contract economics. Our renewable electricity guide provides that background. A renewable product may be the preferred choice even when it is not the lowest-cost supply option, but the trade-off should be explicit.

Delaware comparison checklist

  • Confirm that the account is a Delmarva Power electric account eligible for choice.
  • Record the current Standard Offer or Price to Compare.
  • Use recent kWh to model the alternative supplier contract.
  • Verify that the supplier and the specific residential offer are active.
  • Read the rate type, recurring fees, termination conditions, and renewal terms.
  • Keep regulated Delmarva delivery charges outside the supplier-price comparison.

The Delaware Public Service Commission electric-choice page is the public source for the market structure summarized here. For national context, compare Delaware with our electricity rates by state table and deregulated electricity states guide. Data note: the EIA figure above is the May 2026 residential average; the Delmarva benchmark should always be refreshed at the time of a later shopping comparison.

Separate supply savings from the rest of the Delmarva bill

Suppose a third-party supplier undercuts the current Standard Offer by a small amount per kWh. The saving applies to the competitive supply portion, not to every line on the electric bill. Delmarva’s regulated distribution and other applicable utility components continue. That is why a supplier’s percentage claim can look much larger than the percentage change a customer eventually sees on the total invoice. Convert the difference into dollars using the home’s own monthly kWh and label it as supply savings rather than whole-bill savings.

Plan for the end of the supplier agreement

Retail choice becomes more useful when the customer treats enrollment as the beginning of a monitored contract, not a one-time switch. Save the agreement, record the end date, and check whether the supplier must provide a renewal notice. Before expiration, compare the proposed renewal with the current Delmarva benchmark and any other active offers. If the household expects to move, verify the cancellation and relocation provisions before signing so a modest supply discount is not outweighed by an avoidable fee.

Frequently asked questions

Can all Delaware residents choose an electricity supplier?
The Delaware PSC states that the current retail choice option described on its consumer page is available to Delmarva Power electric customers. Verify the local utility before shopping.
What happens if I do not choose a supplier?
Eligible Delmarva customers receive Standard Offer Service when they do not contract with a third-party supplier.
Does Delmarva stop delivering electricity if I switch?
No. Delmarva remains the distribution utility and continues to deliver electricity and bill for regulated utility service.
Should I compare only cents per kWh?
No. Review the price type, term, recurring fees, cancellation terms, renewal language and current Price to Compare.