Delaware Electric Cooperative rates, bills and winter use
Delaware Electric Cooperative's 108,801 residential customers in Delaware paid an average of 13.89¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $146.37 a month on 1,054 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 14.31¢, and 14.74¢ in August 2026.2
EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.
2 of 3 Delaware counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Delaware Electric Cooperative had the lowest average residential price of Delaware's large utilities in 2025, 13.89¢ per kWh, 19.0% below the Delaware average1. Its members' homes use more electricity than the state average, most of all in winter, so the price gap shrinks on the bill, and the 2026 monthly readings have turned upward after a fall in 2025.
Average price per kWh, by period
Delaware Electric Cooperative is owned by the members it serves: 108,801 residential accounts in 2025, 23.4%1 of all homes in Delaware and the state's second-largest utility after Delmarva Power. EIA reports what those homes paid as average revenue per kWh: everything billed to residential members, including the monthly service charge and adjustments, divided by the kWh they used. It is not a line in the tariff, and a member who uses little electricity pays more per kWh than this average because the fixed charge is spread over fewer kWh.
| Period | Delaware Electric Cooperative | Delaware, all providers | Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2025 | 13.89¢ per kWh1 | 17.15¢ per kWh3 | EIA-861, final |
| 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 | 14.31¢ per kWh | 17.98¢ per kWh | EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary |
| August 2026 | 14.74¢ per kWh2 | 18.70¢ per kWh4 | EIA-861M, preliminary |
The three rows cover different months, which is why they differ. The 12-month figure includes a full winter, when members use the most electricity, and is the better guide to a year of bills than any single month.
The lowest average among Delaware's large utilities
Of the 4 Delaware utilities with 10,000 or more full-service residential customers, the cooperative's 2025 average was the lowest. Delmarva Power's Standard Offer Service homes paid 18.16¢ per kWh, and City of Newark's municipal utility, the highest of the group, 19.75¢ per kWh. Delaware's public power utilities together averaged 16.92¢ per kWh1.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | average residential price (bundled customers) |
|---|---|
| Delaware Electric Cooperative (DE) | 13.89¢ |
| City of Milford (DE) | 15.86¢ |
| City of Dover (DE) | 16.16¢ |
| Town of Middletown (DE) | 16.64¢ |
| Delmarva Power (DE) | 18.16¢ |
| City of Newark (DE) | 19.75¢ |
Nationally the cooperative sits in the cheaper half. Among the 177 US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers it ranked tied for 63rd lowest of 177, below that group's median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and it was 1.5% below the national average for electric cooperatives (14.10¢ per kWh). In Maryland, the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative averaged 16.43¢ per kWh1 in the same year.
More kWh per home, so a smaller bill gap
The cooperative's homes used 1,054 kWh a month on average in 2025, against 890 kWh1 at Delmarva's Delaware homes, 920 kWh across the state and 874 kWh5 nationally. That extra use offsets part of the lower price.
| 2025 | Delaware Electric Cooperative | Delmarva Power (Delaware) | Delaware, all providers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average price | 13.89¢ per kWh | 18.16¢ per kWh | 17.15¢ per kWh3 |
| Use per home, per month | 1,054 kWh | 890 kWh | 920 kWh |
| Average monthly bill | $146.37 | $161.721 | $157.805 |
The price was 19.0% below the Delaware average1, while its average bill sat much closer to the state's $157.805. Over the 12 months September 2025 to August 2026 the bill difference with Delmarva widened: the cooperative's average bill was $148.41 for 1,037 kWh, Delmarva's $171.49 for 903 kWh2.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | average monthly residential bill |
|---|---|
| Delaware Electric Cooperative (DE) | $146.37 |
| Delmarva Power (DE) | $161.72 |
| SMECO (MD) | $192.34 |
| Choptank Electric Cooperative (MD) | $199.93 |
High use is not unique to this cooperative: SMECO's homes used 1,171 kWh a month in 2025, and their average bill came to $192.341.
A dip in 2025, a rise in 2026
From 2024 to 2025 the cooperative's residential average fell 2.3%, from 14.22¢ per kWh to 13.89¢ per kWh, while Delaware's statewide average rose 3.5%3 and Delmarva's 5.4%. Use per home went up a little (1,031 kWh to 1,054 kWh a month), so the average bill hardly moved: $146.666 in 2024, $146.37 in 2025 (−0.2%1).
EIA's monthly survey shows the direction changing. The 12-month average for September 2025 to August 2026 was 14.31¢ per kWh, above the 2025 figure, and the August 2026 average of 14.74¢ per kWh was +11.2%2 on August 2025, close to the statewide change of +11.0%4 for that month. The 2026 months in both figures are preliminary and will be revised.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary).
Show the numbers
| Month | Delaware Electric Cooperative (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 13.12¢ | 1,356 | $177.91 |
| February 2025 | 12.80¢ | 1,520 | $194.67 |
| March 2025 | 13.53¢ | 1,179 | $159.45 |
| April 2025 | 14.80¢ | 844 | $124.85 |
| May 2025 | 15.46¢ | 729 | $112.65 |
| June 2025 | 15.05¢ | 799 | $120.31 |
| July 2025 | 13.20¢ | 1,349 | $178.05 |
| August 2025 | 13.26¢ | 1,322 | $175.38 |
| September 2025 | 14.32¢ | 965 | $138.15 |
| October 2025 | 15.15¢ | 784 | $118.73 |
| November 2025 | 15.13¢ | 784 | $118.54 |
| December 2025 | 13.53¢ | 1,182 | $159.96 |
| January 2026 | 13.19¢ | 1,319 | $173.95 |
| February 2026 | 12.64¢ | 1,622 | $204.93 |
| March 2026 | 13.49¢ | 1,194 | $161.13 |
| April 2026 | 14.93¢ | 818 | $122.12 |
| May 2026 | 16.51¢ | 783 | $129.19 |
| June 2026 | 15.92¢ | 901 | $143.41 |
| July 2026 | 14.93¢ | 818 | $122.12 |
| August 2026 | 14.74¢ | 1,277 | $188.18 |
Delaware law lets a cooperative's members vote to take it out of the Public Service Commission's rate supervision; a cooperative exempt that way must give members notice and a chance to address its governing body before raising or lowering any rate or charge (the cooperative sections of the Delaware Code). The cooperative posts its current tariff on its own website. EIA's next monthly release, with September 2026 data, is due November 24, 2026.
February, not August, sets the peak
Over the 12 months September 2025 to August 2026, use per home ranged from 783 kWh in May 2026 to 1,622 kWh in February 2026, and the average bills in those two months were $129.19 and $204.93. The winter month was well above the summer ones. Delmarva's Delaware homes also peaked in winter, but lower: 1,169 kWh in December 20252.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.
Show the numbers
| Month | kWh per customer | Bill per customer | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 965 | $138.15 | 14.32¢ |
| October 2025 | 784 | $118.73 | 15.15¢ |
| November 2025 | 784 | $118.54 | 15.13¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,182 | $159.96 | 13.53¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,319 | $173.95 | 13.19¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,622 | $204.93 | 12.64¢ |
| March 2026 | 1,194 | $161.13 | 13.49¢ |
| April 2026 | 818 | $122.12 | 14.93¢ |
| May 2026 | 783 | $129.19 | 16.51¢ |
| June 2026 | 901 | $143.41 | 15.92¢ |
| July 2026 | 818 | $122.12 | 14.93¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,277 | $188.18 | 14.74¢ |
The Census Bureau's 2025 survey estimated that 38.2%7 of occupied homes across Delaware were heated mainly with electricity; the survey does not break that figure down by utility. A home on electric heat should budget for its winter months, not the annual average.
Kent and Sussex counties, with no supplier choice in the data
EIA's 2025 territory records list the cooperative in 2 counties, Kent County and Sussex County8. In each of them at least one other utility also reports customers, among them Delmarva Power and municipal systems such as Dover and Milford, so the cooperative's service map decides by address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 2 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.
Show the numbers
| County | Other utilities reporting service |
|---|---|
| Kent County | Delmarva Power, City of Dover, City of Milford, Town of Smyrna, Town of Clayton |
| Sussex County | Delmarva Power, City of Milford, City of Seaford, City of Lewes |
Delaware allows retail choice on Delmarva's lines, where 8.7% of residential customers bought supply from a licensed supplier in 2025. The cooperative's numbers look different: EIA counted 108,801 residential customers on its lines and the same 108,8011 buying full service from it, with no delivery-only customers reported. Every price on this page is therefore the full bill, power and delivery together.
Advanced meters for everyone, time-of-use for almost no one
100.0% of the cooperative's residential meters were advanced meters in 2025, which can record use by the hour. Only 6 residential members were enrolled in a time-varying rate, reported to EIA as time-of-use (0.0% of homes). On Delmarva's Delaware system, by contrast, 86.0%10 of homes were enrolled in its peak-rebate program. Whether a time-based rate would lower a particular bill depends on when the power is used; the time-of-use guide shows the arithmetic.
Members had 3,328 net-metered rooftop solar systems in 2025, 30.6 per 1,000 residential customers, with 27.9 megawatts of capacity; Delmarva's Delaware figure was 34.410 per 1,000.
Outages: longer than the state average
A cooperative member was without power for 111 minutes on average in 2025, counting major events, more than the Delaware average of 99 minutes. With major event days removed the figure was 75 minutes, against 68 minutes statewide. Interruptions were more frequent too: 1.48 per customer, against 1.2811 for Delaware. All figures follow the IEEE 1366 standard.
Business accounts
Commercial members paid 13.70¢ per kWh on average in 2025, close to the residential figure, with an average bill of $266.40 a month. The 333 accounts classed as industrial are small: their average bill was $170.42 a month, and they paid 20.27¢ per kWh, more per kWh than homes. Across all 122,301 accounts the average was 13.86¢ per kWh1.
Households struggling with winter bills can apply for energy assistance: Delaware received $14.0 million12 in federal LIHEAP funds for fiscal 2026. The guide to help paying an electric bill lists the programs.
Delaware Electric Cooperative: common questions
What is Delaware Electric Cooperative's rate per kWh?
The tariff has several parts (a monthly service charge, energy charges and adjustments), so there is no single rate. Divided over every kWh its residential members used, they averaged 13.89¢ per kWh1 in 2025, 14.31¢ per kWh over the 12 months September 2025 to August 2026 and 14.74¢ per kWh2 in August 20264 alone. Months from January 2026 on are preliminary.
What is the average Delaware Electric Cooperative bill?
$146.37 a month in 2025 for 1,054 kWh1, about the same as $146.666 in 2024. Over the 12 months September 2025 to August 2026 it averaged $148.41, from $118.54 in November 2025 to $204.93 in February 20262.
Did Delaware Electric Cooperative raise rates in 2026?
EIA's monthly figures point that way. The August 20264 average, 14.74¢ per kWh, was +11.2% against August 2025, and the 12-month average (14.31¢ per kWh2, September 2025 to August 2026) was above the 2025 figure. These months are preliminary; the cooperative's posted tariff lists the charges that apply now.
Which areas does Delaware Electric Cooperative serve?
EIA's 2025 service-territory records place it in Kent County and Sussex County8, not New Castle County. Other utilities also report customers in both counties, so the cooperative's own service map, not a town name or ZIP code, shows whether it serves an address.
Related pages
Sources
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, house heating fuel, table B25040; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov
- EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.