Delaware Electric Cooperative, Delmarva Power account for 85 percent of the state’s electric load

The two largest power suppliers in the state are Delaware Electric Cooperative and Delmarva Power. Consisting of 85 percent of the state’s electric load, these two suppliers are at the forefront in dealing with problems involving electric consumption and potential issues from over-demand of power, including brownouts or blackouts. Frank Tedesco, Senior Communications Specialist at Delmarva Power, and Lauren Irby, Manager of Public Relations and Community Affairs at Delaware Electric Cooperative, along with various engineers and members of DEC, provided insight into the two companies’ work to combat the growing energy problems.

Delmarva Power provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 561,000 electric customers in Delaware and Maryland and approximately 140,000 natural gas customers in northern Delaware. “We perform large-scale reliability improvement projects including transmission line upgrades and substation enhancements, while modernizing the local energy grid by installing advanced technologies and specialized equipment, like smart switches and reclosers, to detect issues, and if there is an outage, restore service faster by automatically isolating damage, further improving reliability for local customers,” Tedesco explained, “These efforts have contributed to our customers in Delaware and Maryland experiencing a 46 percent decrease in outages over the past 10 years.”

Tedesco continued by talking specifically about their work in Sussex County. Delmarva Power has completed a number of reliability projects including dozens of miles of transmission and distribution line upgrades, substation enhancements, and grid modernization work over the past several years. Included in their most recent work was the upgrading of six miles of power line and associated energy infrastructure in the Ellendale, Lincoln, Milford and Milton areas last year, the upgrading of underground cables in local communities Whispering Pines and Sea Spray Village in Lewes. Delmarva Power has also rebuilt the distribution system in the Millsboro area to address growing electric demand and to fortify the local energy grid against extreme weather events to help reduce the duration and frequency of power outages.

In addition, Delmarva Power has also performed the modernization of the local energy grid in the Town of Laurel including upgrading utility poles and energy infrastructure to benefit local customers, and has finished substation enhancement projects in Sussex County, including Milford, Millsboro, Bridgeville and Laurel, among other locations. “Our northern Delaware customers continue to benefit from our ongoing efforts to modernize and enhance our natural gas delivery system,” Tedesco continued, “For example, through our Cast Iron Replacement Project, we are replacing aging cast-iron and bare-steel natural gas mains with new plastic pipe, which enhances safety, durability, and reliability.”

Tedesco also explained the standard processes that occurs in day-to-day operation at Delmarva Power. “We study current and forecasted electric demands of our customers across our entire service area to ensure the infrastructure we have in place can serve our customers safely and reliably,” Tedesco said, “We understand how much our customers rely on energy to power their homes and businesses, and we continue to invest in upgrading infrastructure prudently and efficiently across our system as warranted to benefit our customers, while working to keep costs as manageable as possible.” Tedesco continued by stating that Delmarva Power performs proactive grid modernization work throughout the year to enhance the local energy grid and strengthen it against more frequent and impactful weather events to help prevent those outages that can be prevented. Tedesco finished by mentioning that any information specific to energy grid load demand and conservation should be directed to PJM Interconnection.

Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) provides electric service to over 120,000 meters across Kent and Sussex counties. The Cooperative maintains a distribution system that includes 24 distribution substations and two transmission switching stations, delivering reliable and affordable power to homes and businesses throughout the region. As a not-for-profit, member-owned utility, DEC’s focus is on serving its members rather than shareholders. In 2024, DEC celebrated its most reliable year ever as investments in advanced technology reduced the number of power outages and took pride in holding the lowest electricity rates in the State of Delaware.

DEC closely monitors system growth and takes proactive steps to stay ahead of demand.  DEC regularly evaluates which substations are nearing capacity, where rapid growth is occurring and what aging infrastructure needs replacing. This infrastructure planning is coordinated with the appropriate regulatory agencies, and DEC is currently designing several new substations to meet increased demand. In addition to the new substations, DEC is also adding transformers to existing substations to ensure a reliable service for members. “Rapid growth, particularly in Sussex County and coastal areas, has increased demand for electricity,” Irby said, “DEC is actively addressing this by continuously upgrading and improving our infrastructure and equipment. Through a partnership with ten other not-for-profit utilities, DEC also maintains partial ownership of a diverse fleet of power plants, including natural gas, coal, nuclear and wind, landfill gas and solar. DEC is also investing in local solar energy facilities that provide an affordable source of clean energy for members.”

Irby finished by mentioning that DEC has not experienced any widespread brownouts because of careful planning and strategic investments that have made their system more resilient. Based on recommendations from DEC engineers, DEC has funded tens of millions of dollars in resiliency projects over the past decade, which have better prepared the system to withstand storms and high demand caused by extreme temperatures. “Our members’ participation in energy savings programs like Beat the Peak really make an impact and help ensure that members continue to receive reliable service,” Irby said in closing.

According to a study performed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the country is expected to increase electricity demand by two percent annually and 50 percent by 2050. Further studies, performed by Statista Research Department in an article discussing the projected electricity use in the U.S. between 2023 and 2050, show that the country stood at 4,049 terawatt hours in 2023. For context, a terawatt-hour (TWh) is a unit of energy that is equal to 10 raised to the power of 12 watt-hours; A single terawatt hour is comprised of 1,000 gigawatt hours. By 2050, projected electricity use is expected to rise to 5,178 terawatt hours. In 2023, Delaware imported more than 6.3 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity. Recently, Delaware lawmakers have put together a 25-member task force to study the potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), a next-generation nuclear technology that is lauded for its safety features, zero-carbon electricity generation, and scalability. Should SMRs be deemed acceptable for Delaware, supporters of this taskforce have stated that it would only take three 250 MW SMRs operating at 95 percent to make up the required need for energy and prevent the need to import electricity from other states.

As technology continues to grow, and energy consumption continues to rise, it is important to keep personal energy consumption in mind. DEC and Delmarva Power both have “beat the peak” programs every year, and several of the municipalities involved with DEMEC hold their own energy saving initiatives. For more information on these programs, check out the DEC, Delmarva Power, and DEMEC websites and search for sustainability and power-saving programs.