SMECO electric rates and bills in Southern Maryland
SMECO's 162,860 default-service customers in Maryland paid an average of 16.43¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $192.34 a month on 1,171 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 18.41¢, and 16.59¢ in August 2026.2 Another 591 homes on its wires (0.4%) buy their supply elsewhere and pay SMECO delivery charges averaging 6.17¢ per kWh, plus their supplier's price.
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.
4 of 24 Maryland counties served (EIA-861 2025)
SMECO's members paid less per kWh than Maryland's average in 2025, 16.43¢ per kWh, but their homes used 1,171 kWh a month, more than at any of the state's other large utilities, so the average bill came to $192.341. In January 2026 it reached $426.942, the heaviest monthly bill among Maryland's five largest utilities in the last 12 months.
SMECO's average price per kWh, by period
The Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative is owned by its members, the homes and businesses it serves, and is the fifth-largest utility in Maryland by residential customers: 163,451 on its wires in 2025, 6.6% of the state's total. Almost all of them, 162,8601, also bought their power from SMECO through Standard Offer Service, the default supply for homes without a licensed supplier. The prices below describe that group.
EIA reports an average price, not a tariff: what those homes were billed for power, delivery, the monthly charge and riders, divided by the kWh they used. It was 16.43¢ per kWh1 for the year 2025 (final data), 18.41¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) and 16.59¢ per kWh2 in August 20263 alone; 2026 months are preliminary. The three figures differ because they cover different months, and the 12-month figure includes the winter of 2025 into 2026, when SMECO's monthly average was at its highest in the period shown below.
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). Bundled (default-service) customers only.
Show the numbers
| Month | SMECO (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 15.81¢ | 1,865 | $294.85 |
| February 2025 | 15.29¢ | 1,390 | $212.40 |
| March 2025 | 15.19¢ | 1,080 | $164.01 |
| April 2025 | 18.13¢ | 822 | $149.03 |
| May 2025 | 17.18¢ | 856 | $147.13 |
| June 2025 | 16.51¢ | 1,204 | $198.89 |
| July 2025 | 15.88¢ | 1,467 | $233.01 |
| August 2025 | 17.05¢ | 1,093 | $186.34 |
| September 2025 | 17.41¢ | 906 | $157.69 |
| October 2025 | 17.88¢ | 807 | $144.24 |
| November 2025 | 17.18¢ | 1,019 | $174.99 |
| December 2025 | 15.86¢ | 1,561 | $247.58 |
| January 2026 | 24.08¢ | 1,773 | $426.94 |
| February 2026 | 19.56¢ | 1,490 | $291.42 |
| March 2026 | 16.57¢ | 1,056 | $174.99 |
| April 2026 | 18.15¢ | 834 | $151.33 |
| May 2026 | 16.86¢ | 866 | $146.01 |
| June 2026 | 18.06¢ | 1,106 | $199.79 |
| July 2026 | 19.18¢ | 1,376 | $263.90 |
| August 2026 | 16.59¢ | 1,310 | $217.31 |
Among the 7 Maryland utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers on default supply, SMECO's 2025 average was the 3rd lowest, 15.9% below the Maryland average1. Over the last 12 months it stayed below BGE (22.26¢ per kWh), Pepco (23.35¢ per kWh) and Delmarva Power (22.68¢ per kWh), and above Potomac Edison (16.63¢ per kWh2).
Southern Maryland homes use more electricity
The average SMECO home used 1,171 kWh1 a month in 2025, against 945 kWh4 across Maryland. That volume turns a below-average price into an above-average bill.
| 2025 | SMECO | Maryland, all providers |
|---|---|---|
| Use per home, per month | 1,171 kWh | 945 kWh |
| Average price | 16.43¢ per kWh | 19.53¢ per kWh5 |
| Average monthly bill | $192.341 | $184.424 |
Among the other large utilities, Potomac Edison homes came closest on use (1,114 kWh), while BGE homes used 878 kWh and Pepco homes 835 kWh. Only Delmarva Power had a higher 2025 bill than SMECO, at $214.05, against $177.19 at BGE and $181.581 at Pepco. Maryland's statewide bill, $184.42, was itself the 3rd highest4 among the states.
The January 2026 bill
Use per SMECO home over the last 12 months ran from 807 kWh in October 2025 to 1,773 kWh in January 2026. The bill moved further than the kWh: from $144.24 to $426.942, nearly three times as much for a little over twice the electricity, because the average price per kWh was also at its highest that January. In EIA's monthly figures (the 2026 months preliminary), SMECO homes used less electricity in January 2026 than in January 2025 yet paid more.
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 | 906 | $157.69 | 17.41¢ |
| October 2025 | 807 | $144.24 | 17.88¢ |
| November 2025 | 1,019 | $174.99 | 17.18¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,561 | $247.58 | 15.86¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,773 | $426.94 | 24.08¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,490 | $291.42 | 19.56¢ |
| March 2026 | 1,056 | $174.99 | 16.57¢ |
| April 2026 | 834 | $151.33 | 18.15¢ |
| May 2026 | 866 | $146.01 | 16.86¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,106 | $199.79 | 18.06¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,376 | $263.90 | 19.18¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,310 | $217.31 | 16.59¢ |
All five of Maryland's largest utilities peaked in January 20263, but SMECO's month stood out in use and in bill:
| January 20263 | Use per home | Average bill |
|---|---|---|
| SMECO | 1,773 kWh | $426.94 |
| Potomac Edison | 1,684 kWh | $278.55 |
| Delmarva Power | 1,490 kWh | $344.51 |
| BGE | 1,242 kWh | $252.01 |
| Pepco | 1,089 kWh | $241.742 |
The 12-month average bill, $216.31 for 1,175 kWh2, hides that swing. A member who budgets on it should expect midwinter bills well above it and spring and autumn bills below it.
From 2024 to 2025, and the latest month
SMECO's residential average rose 10.7% from 2024 to 2025, from 14.84¢ per kWh to 16.43¢ per kWh. The bill rose faster, +13.1% to $192.34, because use per home also went up, from 1,146 kWh6 to 1,171 kWh a month. The other large Maryland utilities also rose: +12.7% at BGE, +11.6% at Potomac Edison, +8.3% at Pepco and +7.9%1 at Delmarva Power.
SMECO's territory lies in PJM, the regional grid and wholesale market. The 2026 retail price review by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reports that capacity costs added 0.9¢ per kWh to average PJM wholesale costs in 2025 and wholesale energy costs another 1.7¢ per kWh as fuel prices rose; it puts Maryland's 2024-to-2025 increase in the average retail price at 1.5¢ per kWh7. That review covers the region and the state, not SMECO's own power contracts.
The latest month runs the other way. In August 20263, SMECO's average was 16.59¢ per kWh, −2.7% on the same month a year earlier, while it changed by +8.6% at BGE, +9.3% at Pepco, +6.2% at Delmarva Power and +12.5%2 at Potomac Edison. One month is a single preliminary reading; the 12-month figure is the steadier comparison.
A cooperative in a retail-choice state
Electric cooperatives in Maryland averaged 16.59¢ per kWh for residential default supply in 2025, below the state's investor-owned utilities (20.00¢ per kWh) and above its public power systems (12.80¢ per kWh). SMECO, the largest of the state's 3 cooperatives, was 16.5% above the national average for electric cooperatives. Among the 177 US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers that report a bundled price, it ranked 66th highest of 177, against a median of 15.07¢ per kWh1.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Bundled (full-service) residential revenue divided by kWh, summed over every utility of each type (EIA-861 2025). Small utilities filing the short form report no residential split and are not included.
Show the numbers
| Type | ¢/kWh | Residential customers |
|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned utilities | 20.00¢ | 2,109,222 |
| Electric cooperatives | 16.59¢ | 214,067 |
| Public power (municipal, districts, state) | 12.80¢ | 23,762 |
SMECO also operates inside a retail-choice market: the Maryland Public Service Commission's Standard Offer Service page lists Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative among the utilities whose default supply can be compared with licensed suppliers' prices. Very few members switch, on EIA's count. In its 2025 survey, 591 SMECO homes, 0.4% of those on its wires, bought supply elsewhere, the lowest share among Maryland's large utilities (BGE 6.3%, Pepco 5.0%). SMECO billed those homes 6.17¢ per kWh on average for delivery alone, about $56.06 a month for 908 kWh1; their supplier's charges come on top and are not in SMECO's figures. That delivery-only average and the Standard Offer Service average cover different homes and different parts of a bill, so one cannot be subtracted from the other. Retail choice in Maryland explains how switching works.
Where SMECO serves
EIA's service-territory records list SMECO in 4 counties: Calvert County, Charles County, Prince George's County and St. Mary's County. It is the only distribution utility reporting service in 2 of them; in the other 28, another utility also serves part of the county. SMECO's own service map, not the county or ZIP code, settles which utility serves an address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Calvert County | BGE |
| Charles County | none |
| Prince George's County | BGE, Pepco |
| St. Mary's County | none |
Solar, time-of-use and outages
SMECO members had 9,514 net-metered residential solar installations in 2025, totalling 88.9 megawatts: 58.2 per 1,000 residential customers, more than at BGE (42.7) and fewer than at Pepco (71.1). Advanced meters were installed at 99.8% of homes, yet only 1,488 homes (0.9%) were enrolled in a time-of-use10 rate. The hours and prices of that option are in SMECO's rate schedules; the time-of-use guide explains how such a rate changes a bill.
Including major events, a SMECO customer was without power for 173 minutes on average in 2025, fewer than the Maryland average of 184 minutes, with 1.56 interruptions. Excluding major event days the figure was 118 minutes, against 80 minutes11 statewide, so SMECO's ordinary-day outage time was above the state's. Both measures follow IEEE 1366.
Source: EIA-861 2025, reliability. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | outage minutes per customer (all events) |
|---|---|
| Pepco (MD) | 104 |
| Delmarva Power (MD) | 114 |
| SMECO (MD) | 173 |
| BGE (MD) | 175 |
| Potomac Edison (MD) | 399 |
Business members and help with bills
SMECO's 16,145 commercial customers paid 14.17¢ per kWh on average in 2025, with an average monthly bill of $894.00; across all customer classes the average was 15.64¢ per kWh1. Maryland received $84.8 million12 in federal LIHEAP funds for fiscal 2026, and the guide to help paying electric bills lists the programs open to SMECO members.
SMECO rates and bills: common questions
What does SMECO charge per kWh?
On average, 16.43¢ per kWh1 for residential members on Standard Offer Service in 2025, 18.41¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) and 16.59¢ per kWh2 in August 20263; 2026 months are preliminary. Each figure is residential revenue divided by kWh, so the monthly charge, the power cost and riders are inside it. The separate per-kWh lines in SMECO's rate schedules are pieces of that total and will not match it.
What is the average SMECO electric bill?
$192.34 a month in 2025 for 1,171 kWh1, up from $170.086 in 2024. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) it averaged $216.31, from $144.24 in October 2025 to $426.94 in January 20262.
Did SMECO raise rates in 2026?
EIA's monthly figures show the 12-month average (18.41¢ per kWh, September 2025 to August 2026) above the 2025 average (16.43¢ per kWh1), with the winter months highest. The latest single month was lower than a year before: 16.59¢ per kWh in August 20263, −2.7%2 on August 2025 (preliminary). Which charges changed is set out in SMECO's filings with the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Can SMECO members buy electricity from another supplier?
Yes. Maryland allows residential retail choice in SMECO's territory, but few members use it: EIA counted 0.4% of residential customers on its wires buying supply elsewhere in 2025, against 4.8%1 statewide (the Maryland Public Service Commission's enrollment reports put participation across Maryland's investor-owned utilities and SMECO at 0.08% in September 202613). SMECO still delivers their power and bills for delivery.
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, 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, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, 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
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Retail Electricity Price Trends and Drivers; table July 2026 update; 2025 data. eta-publications.lbl.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
- Maryland PSC, Electric Choice Enrollment monthly reports; September 2026. psc.maryland.gov
How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.