If you’ve been shocked by your recent electric bill, you’re not alone. And if you think it's bad now, just wait—there’s more on the way.
In 2008, legislation was enacted that set the stage for rising electricity costs. This law, along with subsequent amendments, required greater reliance on wind and solar power and introduced a carbon tax on in-state power plants. For a deeper dive into how energy policies passed by Delaware Democrats have contributed to rising costs, check out our previous blog, "Update on Rising Energy Costs in Delaware – And What You Can Do About It."
Where Is Your Money Going?
If you’re a Delmarva Power customer, the Caesar Rodney Institute has made sure these charges are itemized on your bill, so you can see exactly where your money is going.
Here are a few of those charges:
Green Energy Fund
Qualified Fuel Cells
Renewable Power Compliance Charge
Energy Efficiency Charge
When you add them up, they account for about 10% of your electric bill—roughly $170 per year for the average customer. And that’s just the beginning. Even without new mandates, these costs are expected to double. But if Delmarva is forced to buy offshore wind power, your bill could jump by another $200 per year for the next 20 years.
The Hidden Costs of Carbon Taxes
One cost you won’t see itemized on your bill? The carbon tax. Delmarva Power buys electricity through long-term contracts, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly how much the carbon tax is costing you. But we can look at what happened in Virginia for a clue.
Virginia joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state cap-and-trade program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The result? Electric bills shot up $75 per year—and as the cost of carbon allowances tripled, so did the impact on consumers. Fortunately for Virginians, Governor Glenn Youngkin pulled the state out of RGGI before costs spiraled further out of control. If Delaware stays on its current path, these carbon taxes, combined with green energy mandates, could push your extra energy costs to $600 per year.
Delaware’s Climate Action Plan: What It Means for You
There’s more. Delaware’s Climate Action Plan includes several costly policies that could hit your wallet hard:
Banning gas-powered home heating and hot water systems, forcing homes to use electricity, which is more expensive than propane or natural gas.
Pushing electric vehicle mandates, meaning you’ll likely be required to buy an EV and charge it at home, increasing your electricity use.
Relying more on wind and solar, which are less reliable and could lead to shortages during peak demand.
Studying a mandate for backup storage batteries, which could cost hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.
Investing billions in new infrastructure, since large-scale wind and solar farms are usually far from existing power grids.
A recent study in New England estimated that a plan similar to Delaware’s could double electric rates. Right now, the average Delaware household pays $1,680 per year for electricity. Are you ready for that bill to double to $3,360?
Energy costs aren’t just going up because of inflation or supply and demand—they’re increasing because of policies that force reliance on expensive, unreliable energy sources. If you’re concerned about your electric bill now, imagine what it could be in just a few years.
What Can You Do?
Elections matter. Make sure you understand where candidates stand on energy policies before you vote. We can have clean, reliable, and affordable power—but not if we blindly accept policies that drive costs through the roof.
File a Complaint
The Delaware Public Advocate is accepting complaints about high energy costs.
Write a Letter to the Editor
Use these key points to inform fellow Delawareans:
The REAL cause of rising energy costs is Democrat energy mandates—not the power companies.
Delaware lacks the infrastructure for its own clean energy but is forced to comply with expensive green mandates anyway.
We need to prioritize lower-cost, reliable energy like natural gas, nuclear, and coal over high-cost, unreliable wind and solar.
The Delaware Public Advocate’s job is to protect consumers from high energy cost, not rubber-stamp bad policies.
Sussex Media Contacts:
Email info@38thdrcp.com for statewide media contacts
If you need help, learn more about energy assistance programs for Delaware residents in our previous blog: "Where to Find Help With Skyrocketing Energy Bills."
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