DELAWARE- Customers could be getting higher energy bills this summer if Delmarva Power's big rate hike application is approved by the Public Service Commission.
Delmarva Power filed a request to to increase its electric distribution rates by $72.3 million, one of the largest rate increases in the last ten years.
Residential customers in the Delaware coverage area will see their bill go up 8.35 percent starting on July 15. Residential electric space heating customers will experience an increase of 13.2 percent.
A typical residential non-space heating customer would see an additional increase of $10.41 per month to their total bill, and a residential space heating customer would see an additional increase of more than an $11 per month to their total bill.
A spokesperson for Delmarva Power, Zach Chizar, said the rate increase is necessary to maintain the power grids.
"We have had a lot of severe and high impact storms over the last few years so responding to those and continuing to protect the grid against other future storms is all lumped into that money."
As Delaware's Public Advocate, Andrew Slater works to maintain reliable and affordable utility services for people across the state.
He said the price hike could make life harder for customers on a fixed income.
"Even $5 a month can mean a lot and here's a $10.41 increase," said Slater. "We don't want to diminish the reliability it is important but we need to focus on affordability as well."
Chizar said "these rate review requests are never popular but they are absolutely necessary to allow Delmarva Power to continue to provide the level of reliable service that customers come to expect."
The PSC plans to hold public comment sessions once a schedule is established.
There is no set time frame for the PSC to approve or deny the request, but it will take effect on July 15 either way.
If rejected, that money would be returned to customers.
Slater also mentioned several resources available for customers looking to save money on utilities.
Energize Delaware has Home Energy Counseling and Check-Up programs which could potentially produce energy savings. Learn more at: https://www.energizedelaware.org/