Electric and natural gas utility in Maryland
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Subsidiaries of the national powerhouse Exelon, which provides electricity and natural gas to 48 states and parts of Canada, PEPCO DC, and PEPCO Maryland serve nearly 900,000 customers across Washington, D.C., and Maryland. PEPCO stands for Potomac Electric Power Company, founded in 1896.
Both Washington, D.C., and Maryland deregulated their energy markets in 1999, allowing competition between retail power suppliers. The term “deregulation” may seem complex, but it just means that you have the power to choose from several suppliers and rate plans in your area. To sort through your options, compare PEPCO energy rates to those available from other suppliers.
Deregulation is not the same thing as no regulation. In Maryland, public utilities are under the oversight of the Maryland Public Service Commission. If you have a dispute with your supplier or utility that you cannot resolve, contact the Consumer Affairs Division at 1-410-767-8043.
D.C. utilities fall under the District of Columbia Public Service Commission. You can reach the Office of Consumer Services at 1-202-626-5120.
At Choose Energy, our goal is to provide a one stop shop for all the resources you need to understand deregulation, as well as to help you select the rate plan and retail supplier that are right for you. We can answer such questions as:
If you live in the PEPCO DC or PEPCO Maryland service area and you don’t choose a retail supplier, you will default to their electric service. The “price to compare” is your utility’s basic electricity supply rate, which you can compare with rates offered by retail suppliers. For summer 2020, the PEPCO price to compare is 7.01 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in Maryland and 7.03 cents per kWh in DC.
Can you beat PEPCO energy rates by switching to a local supplier? Find out by entering your ZIP code above.
One of the least intuitive parts of deregulation is the difference between a utility and a supplier. The PEPCO utility company delivers your power to your home if you live in the company’s service area. It also is responsible for the power lines and supporting infrastructure, and it is the right place to call about a power outage. However, you might buy your power through a retail supplier, who sets your rates and handles your billing.
Popular suppliers in PEPCO’s service area include Direct Energy, Constellation, and Clearview Energy. You may have additional choices, depending on exactly where you are located. Enter your ZIP code above to see which suppliers are available in your neighborhood.
