Contact Pepco
Outage / emergency (24/7)
1-877-737-2662Same number for DC and MD (1-877-PEPCO-62). Text OUT to 48710 to report an outage.
Utility fact sheet
- Legal name
- Potomac Electric Power Company
- Brand
- Pepco
- Parent
- Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), since 2016
- Customers
- ~900,000 (~300k DC + ~600k MD)
- Retail choice?
- Yes (DC & MD)
- Regulators
- DC PSC + MD PSC + FERC
- RTO
- PJM Interconnection
- Founded
- April 28, 1896
- Headquarters
- 701 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20068
What you can do here
-
1
Start, stop or transfer service
Call 202-833-7500 (DC) or 1-800-424-8028 (MD) at least 2 business days before move-in. Have your address, move-in date and a photo ID ready.
-
2
Pick a supplier or stay on SOS
Both jurisdictions allow shopping. DC residents use energychoice.dc.gov. MD residents use mdelectricchoice.com.
-
3
Check the next SOS reset
DC SOS resets June 1 and December 1; the DC PSC has confirmed an increase effective June 1, 2026. Maryland SOS resets June 1 and October 1 on a 12-month cycle.
What Pepco does (and does not) do
Both DC (since 2001) and Maryland (since 2000) split electric supply from delivery. Pepco keeps the wires, meters and grid; the energy itself can come from Pepco's default service auction or from a competitive supplier you chose.
Delivery (always Pepco)
Poles, wires, substations, transformers, smart meters and the field crews that restore power after a storm. The Pepco distribution charge applies on every bill, regardless of who supplies the energy.
Default supply (SOS)
If you do not shop, Pepco buys power for you through competitive wholesale auctions in PJM and bills the clearing price as SOS. DC and Maryland each run their own SOS auction with separate rates.
Outage response
Whether you shop or not, Pepco is the only company you call for outages, downed lines, voltage problems or meter issues. The same 24/7 line, 1-877-737-2662, covers DC and both Maryland counties.
About Potomac Electric Power Company
Pepco was incorporated on April 28, 1896 as the Potomac Electric Power Company, eventually consolidating the small generating stations that lit the federal city. For more than a century it was a vertically integrated utility owning generation, transmission and distribution. The 1999 Maryland Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act and the parallel District of Columbia restructuring forced Pepco to divest its power plants between 2000 and 2002. Since then, Pepco has been a wires-only EDC.
In 2002 Pepco merged with Conectiv to form Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI), the parent of Pepco, Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric. Thirteen years later, on March 23, 2016, after a two-year regulatory fight in DC, Exelon completed its $6.8 billion acquisition of PHI. Pepco kept its brand and tariff identity; only the ultimate parent changed.
Pepco is a single legal entity (Potomac Electric Power Company) regulated by two state-level commissions: the District of Columbia Public Service Commission (DC PSC) for the ~300,000 DC customers, and the Maryland Public Service Commission (MD PSC) for the ~600,000 customers in Prince George's and Montgomery counties. Wholesale transmission rates are set by the FERC, and the bulk grid is operated by PJM Interconnection.
Anatomy of a Pepco bill
A Pepco residential bill is split into two halves: supply (the energy itself, shoppable) and delivery (Pepco charges, non-shoppable). Knowing which line is which is the first step to lowering your bill.
| Line item | What it pays for | Shoppable? |
|---|---|---|
| Generation (SOS or supplier rate) | The energy itself, in cents per kWh | Yes |
| Transmission service | PJM high-voltage grid cost, set by FERC | No |
| Distribution charge | Pepco poles, wires and meters | No |
| Customer charge | Fixed monthly fee for billing & meter reading | No |
| Riders & surcharges | EmPower MD, DC Sustainable Energy Utility, universal service, franchise fees | No |
| Taxes | DC right-of-way fee, MD environmental surcharge, local sales taxes | No |
Reading tip
Only the generation line is competitive. If a third-party supplier offer beats Pepco's current SOS price, the supply portion of your bill drops; the delivery, transmission and rider lines stay exactly the same. Look for the box labeled "Price to Compare" on your Pepco bill before signing anything with a supplier.
Pepco service area
Pepco covers the entire District of Columbia plus two Maryland counties just north and east of the District. Elsewhere in Maryland, electricity is delivered by BGE (Baltimore area), Delmarva Power (Eastern Shore) or smaller co-ops.
District of Columbia
All 8 wards: Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Anacostia, Petworth, Brookland, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Shaw, Navy Yard and every neighborhood in between. ~300,000 customers.
Prince George's County, MD
Upper Marlboro, Bowie, Hyattsville, College Park, Largo, Laurel, Greenbelt, Forestville, Camp Springs, Suitland and the inner Capital Beltway suburbs.
Montgomery County, MD
Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Wheaton, Chevy Chase, Takoma Park, Potomac and the I-270 corridor up to the Frederick County line.
DC Standard Offer Service (SOS) and shopping
The DC SOS is the per-kWh price Pepco charges DC customers for default supply if you have not picked a competitive supplier. It is the benchmark every shopping offer at energychoice.dc.gov is compared against.
DC average residential rate
~16.9 ¢/kWh
All-in, EIA 2024 (supply + delivery)
Reset cadence
June 1 / Dec 1
DC PSC has confirmed a rate increase effective June 1, 2026.
Regulator
DC PSC
SOS auction approved by formal order.
What it means for you
Compare any supplier offer to the SOS generation rate printed on your Pepco bill (not to the all-in average). A deal below the current SOS lowers the supply portion of your bill on day one. Many supplier offers reset after a 3 to 12 month introductory period, so always read the renewal clause and the cancellation fee before signing.
Source: DC Public Service Commission; Pepco; EIA District of Columbia profile (2024).
Maryland Standard Offer Service (SOS) and shopping
Pepco Maryland customers in Prince George's and Montgomery counties have had retail choice since the Maryland Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of 1999. The official shopping site is mdelectricchoice.com.
MD average residential rate
~15.0 ¢/kWh
All-in, EIA 2024 (supply + delivery)
Reset cadence
June 1 / Oct 1
Type I residential SOS, 12-month rolling procurement
Regulator
MD PSC
Maryland Public Service Commission
What it means for you
The MD PSC publishes the Pepco Type I residential SOS rate twice a year; the figure printed on page 2 of your Pepco bill, labeled "Price to Compare," is always the most current one. Compare each supplier offer at mdelectricchoice.com to that number, not to the all-in average above.
Source: Maryland Public Service Commission; Pepco; EIA Maryland profile (2024).
Pepco contact directory
Use these direct lines instead of the main menu when you already know what you need.
| Reason for the call | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service (DC) | 202-833-7500 | Mon to Fri 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Customer service (Maryland, local) | 202-872-2000 | Same hours as DC line |
| Customer service (Maryland, toll-free) | 1-800-424-8028 | Same hours as DC line |
| Outage / emergency (24/7) | 1-877-737-2662 | 24/7, automated |
| Text to report an outage | Text OUT to 48710 | 24/7 |
| Hearing impaired (Relay) | 711 | 24/7 |
| Mailing address (payments) | Pepco, PO Box 13608, Philadelphia, PA 19101-3608 | |
| Corporate headquarters | 701 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20068 | |
If you cannot pay your bill
Pepco participates in DC and Maryland assistance programs. Apply before a disconnection notice; once enrolled, the DC winter moratorium (Nov 1 to Mar 31) and Maryland's cold-weather rule protect most residential customers.
DC LIHEAP & Utility Discount Program
Federal LIHEAP grants and a Pepco bill credit administered by the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Open year-round; winter window opens November.
Maryland MEAP & EUSP
The Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) and Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP), run by the MD Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP), pay part of the bill for income-qualified households.
Good Neighbor Energy Fund
Hardship grant funded by Pepco customer donations and corporate matching, administered by The Salvation Army. Available to DC and MD customers who do not qualify for LIHEAP.
Can I switch electricity suppliers in Pepco territory?
Yes, on both sides of the Pepco footprint. Maryland opened retail competition in 2000 under the 1999 Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act. The District of Columbia followed in 2001 under the Retail Electric Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 1999. Pepco still owns the wires; only the supply line on your bill changes.
Each jurisdiction runs an official shopping site:
- DC residents: energychoice.dc.gov, run by the DC PSC;
- Maryland residents: mdelectricchoice.com, run by the MD PSC.
Every offer shown on those marketplaces must disclose the price, contract term, renewal terms and any cancellation fee. Compare each offer against the SOS generation rate printed on your Pepco bill. A switch typically takes 1 to 2 billing cycles, and Pepco does not charge any fee to switch.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Pepco?
Is Pepco the same company as Exelon?
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in DC?
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in Maryland?
Who do I call for a power outage or downed line?
Does Pepco deliver natural gas?
Where are Pepco's walk-in customer service offices?
Is help available if I cannot pay my Pepco bill?
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