Maryland Electricity Suppliers by Utility Territory: BGE vs Pepco vs Delmarva vs Potomac Edison (2026)

If you live in Maryland and want to shop for a competitive electricity supplier, the single most important thing to know is which utility delivers power to your home. Maryland deregulated its electricity market in the early 2000s, which means you can choose your supplier (the company that generates or buys the electricity you use) while your local utility still owns the poles and wires, reads your meter, and restores power after a storm. The rate you pay, the supplier offers available to you, and the “Standard Offer Service” price you’re compared against all depend on your utility territory.

How Maryland’s Electricity Choice Program Works

Maryland is one of roughly 14 deregulated states. The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) oversees the program, and the state runs an official shopping site (Maryland Electric Choice) listing licensed suppliers. When you switch to a competitive supplier, only the generation (supply) portion of your bill changes. The delivery (distribution) charges stay with your utility and are regulated by the PSC, so they’re identical whether or not you shop.

If you never choose a supplier, you’re automatically on Standard Offer Service (SOS) — a default rate your utility procures through periodic wholesale auctions. SOS is a fair benchmark, but it isn’t designed to be the cheapest option; it changes every few months and tends to spike in summer when wholesale prices are high. A fixed-rate competitive plan can lock you in below the SOS price and protect you from seasonal swings.

Maryland Electric Utility Territories

Five utilities deliver electricity across Maryland. Your territory is set by where you live, not by choice.

Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE)

BGE, an Exelon company, is the largest electric utility in Maryland, serving the Baltimore metro area and most of central Maryland — roughly 1.3 million electric customers. If your meter is read by BGE, you’ll see “BGE” on your bill and compare competitive offers against BGE’s Standard Offer Service price. BGE territory has the deepest pool of competitive suppliers because of its size.

Pepco (Potomac Electric Power Company)

Pepco, also part of Exelon, serves the Washington, D.C. suburbs in Maryland — primarily Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. Pepco’s customer base is large and high-density, so suppliers compete aggressively here. Pepco’s SOS price is the benchmark for shoppers in these counties.

Delmarva Power

Delmarva Power (Exelon) covers Maryland’s Eastern Shore — the Delmarva Peninsula counties. It’s a smaller territory than BGE or Pepco, so the number of competitive offers is more limited, but the same shopping rules apply.

Potomac Edison

Potomac Edison, a FirstEnergy company, serves western Maryland, including Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. Potomac Edison runs its own SOS auctions and has its own benchmark price, which can differ meaningfully from the Exelon utilities to the east.

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO)

SMECO is a member-owned cooperative serving Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and parts of Prince George’s County. Because SMECO is a co-op rather than an investor-owned utility, electricity choice works differently: members buy generation through SMECO’s own arrangements, and competitive supplier shopping is more limited. Always confirm your options directly with SMECO.

How to Compare Suppliers in Your Maryland Territory

Start by pulling out a recent bill and finding your utility name and your current price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the supply portion. That number is what you’re trying to beat. Then compare fixed-rate offers from licensed suppliers, paying attention to three things: the price per kWh, the contract term (12 and 24 months are common), and the early termination fee. A fixed rate that’s a cent or two below your SOS price, locked for a year, is usually the safest win for a typical household.

Be cautious with low “teaser” rates that convert to a variable rate after the first month or two — variable rates in Maryland have spiked sharply during past winters. Read the contract summary (suppliers must provide one) before you sign.

Supply vs. Delivery: What You Actually Control

Every electricity bill in a deregulated market splits into two halves, and understanding the split is what makes shopping pay off. The delivery (or distribution) charge covers moving electricity over the poles and wires to your home, plus metering, billing, and storm restoration. In Maryland that’s your utility — BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, Potomac Edison, or SMECO. These charges are set by regulators and are identical whether you shop or not — no competitive supplier can lower them.

The supply (or generation) charge covers the actual electricity you consume. This is the only part of your bill open to competition. When you compare suppliers, you’re comparing this per-kWh generation price — typically the largest single line item on a bill in a high-usage month. Lowering it by even one or two cents per kWh adds up quickly for a household using 800–1,200 kWh a month, and the savings compound over a full contract term.

This is also why a flashy “X% off” claim can mislead: a discount only applies to the supply portion, not your whole bill. Always compare the actual price per kWh, not a headline percentage.

Who Benefits Most From Shopping

Not every household saves the same amount by switching, and being honest about that helps you set expectations. The biggest winners are typically:

High-usage homes. If you have electric heat, central air, a pool pump, an EV, or simply a large house, your supply charge is a big number — so a lower per-kWh rate produces real dollar savings every month.

Households currently on a variable or expired rate. If your introductory rate has rolled over to a variable “month-to-month” price, you may be paying well above market without realizing it. These are the customers who most often find double-digit monthly savings by locking a fixed rate.

Anyone who values budget certainty. Even if a fixed rate only matches your default price today, locking it shields you from the next seasonal spike. For people on fixed incomes or tight monthly budgets, that predictability is worth as much as the headline rate.

Lower-usage apartments and condos save less in absolute dollars, but the same shopping principles apply — and avoiding a runaway variable rate still matters.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Chasing the lowest teaser rate. The cheapest rate on a comparison list is often an introductory price that converts to a much higher variable rate after one or two billing cycles. Read whether the rate is fixed for the full term.

Ignoring the early termination fee. If you might move or want flexibility, a contract with a steep cancellation fee can erase your savings. Match the term to how long you’ll realistically stay.

Auto-renewing without checking. Many contracts roll into a variable month-to-month rate when they end. Mark your contract’s expiration date and re-shop before it lapses.

Forgetting to compare against your real benchmark. Your savings are measured against your current supply rate — your default/standard price or your existing contract — not against some national average. Pull a recent bill and use your own number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does switching electricity suppliers in Maryland interrupt my service?

No. The switch is purely on paper. BGE, Pepco, Delmarva, or Potomac Edison continues to deliver your power and handle outages exactly as before — only the generation charge on your bill comes from the new supplier.

What is Standard Offer Service (SOS)?

SOS is the default electricity supply rate your utility procures through wholesale auctions if you never pick a competitive supplier. It’s a reasonable benchmark but isn’t guaranteed to be the cheapest — it resets periodically and often rises in summer.

Will I get two bills if I switch suppliers?

Usually no. Maryland uses consolidated billing, so your utility bills you for both delivery and your competitive supplier’s generation charge on a single bill. A few suppliers offer separate billing, but consolidated is the norm.

How do I find out which utility serves my home?

Check the top of your electricity bill — it names the utility (BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, Potomac Edison, or SMECO). Your ZIP code also determines your territory; entering it in a comparison tool will route you to offers available where you live.

Are competitive suppliers in Maryland regulated?

Suppliers must be licensed by the Maryland Public Service Commission and follow consumer-protection rules, including clear contract disclosures. Delivery rates remain fully regulated regardless of which supplier you choose.

Can I switch back to SOS after choosing a supplier?

Yes. You can return to your utility’s Standard Offer Service at any time, though you should check whether your competitive contract has an early termination fee before switching mid-term.

Bottom Line for Maryland Shoppers

Your Maryland utility territory — BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, Potomac Edison, or SMECO — determines which competitive offers you can see and which Standard Offer Service price you’re measured against. Identify your utility, note your current supply rate, and compare fixed-rate plans that beat it. A short comparison now can lock in savings and shield you from the next summer rate spike.