Contact Delmarva Power
Residential customer service
1-800-375-7117Toll-free, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Eastern). Same number for Delaware and Maryland customers.
Electric outage (24/7)
1-800-898-8045Automated outage reporting and the Delmarva Power outage map are available around the clock. You can also text OUT to 79673.
Gas leak emergency (24/7)
302-454-0317Natural gas customers in northern Delaware only. Smell gas? Leave the building, then call from a safe distance. Call 911 first if anyone is in danger.
Hearing impaired (711)
711Delaware Relay, then ask the operator for Delmarva Power at 1-800-375-7117.
Utility fact sheet
- Legal name
- Delmarva Power & Light Company
- Trading as
- Delmarva Power (DPL)
- Type
- IOU, wires-only EDC + gas LDC
- Parent
- Pepco Holdings / Exelon (NASDAQ: EXC)
- Electric customers (DE)
- ~520,000
- Gas customers (DE)
- ~140,000 (New Castle County)
- Retail choice?
- Yes (DE since 1999)
- Regulator
- DE PSC + FERC
- RTO
- PJM Interconnection
- Headquarters
- 500 N. Wakefield Drive, Newark, DE 19702
What you can do here
-
1
Start, stop or transfer service
Call 1-800-375-7117 at least 2 business days before move-in. Have your new address, move-in date and a photo ID ready.
-
2
Pick a supplier or stay on SOS
Delaware has retail choice. Stay on Delmarva's SOS or pick a certified supplier from the Delaware PSC supplier list.
-
3
Check the next SOS reset
DPL's residential SOS supply price typically resets on June 1 each year, after the DPSC's full-requirements auction.
What Delmarva Power does (and does not) do
Delaware split electric supply from delivery in 1999. DPL keeps the wires, meters and grid; the energy itself can come from the DPSC's Standard Offer Service auctions or from a certified supplier you chose.
Delivery (always DPL)
Poles, wires, substations, transformers, smart meters and the crew that restores power after storms. DPL also runs the natural gas pipes in northern Delaware.
Default supply (SOS)
If you do not shop, DPL procures power for you through full-requirements auctions overseen by the DPSC and bills the blended price as Standard Offer Service. The residential price typically resets every June 1.
Outage response
Whether you shop or not, DPL is the only company you call for outages, downed lines, voltage problems or meter issues. Same rule for natural gas leaks in New Castle County.
About Delmarva Power & Light Company
Delmarva Power traces its roots to 1909, when Delaware Power & Light was incorporated. The modern Delmarva Power & Light Company emerged from a series of consolidations: a merger with Atlantic Energy in 1998 formed Conectiv, then in 2002 Conectiv combined with Potomac Electric Power Company to create Pepco Holdings Inc (PHI). Pepco Holdings was acquired by Exelon Corporation on March 23, 2016, making DPL part of the largest utility holding company in the United States.
Today DPL serves a roughly 5,000 square mile footprint on the Delmarva Peninsula: all three Delaware counties (New Castle, Kent, Sussex) plus the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is the only investor-owned electric utility in Delaware. The only other electric provider in the state is the consumer-owned Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC), which serves rural parts of Kent and Sussex counties.
Since the Delaware Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999, DPL has been a wires-only EDC; it does not own generation. Power for SOS customers is procured through periodic full-requirements auctions overseen by the DPSC and delivered through the PJM Interconnection wholesale market.
Anatomy of a Delmarva Power bill
A Delaware residential electric bill is split into two halves: supply (the energy itself, shoppable) and delivery (DPL charges, non-shoppable). The Delaware PSC reports that supply makes up roughly 65% of a typical bill, so it is where shopping savings appear.
| Line item | What it pays for | Shoppable? |
|---|---|---|
| Generation / supply (SOS or competitive) | The kWh of energy you used, sourced from PJM auctions | Yes, supplier |
| Transmission service | Moving power across high-voltage lines from PJM into Delaware | No |
| Distribution charge | Local poles, wires, transformers and outage response | No |
| Customer charge | Fixed monthly fee for metering and billing | No |
| Riders & surcharges (PURTA, EERR, RPS, GUDS) | State-mandated programs, energy efficiency, renewables | No |
Reading tip
Only the generation / supply line is competitive. If a third-party offer beats Delmarva's SOS supply price, your supply line goes down; delivery charges, taxes and riders stay the same. Look for the Price to Compare printed on your DPL bill before signing any supplier contract.
Delmarva Power service area
DPL is the only investor-owned electric utility in Delaware, covering all three counties. Rural pockets of Kent and Sussex are served by the Delaware Electric Cooperative; a handful of towns (Dover, Lewes, Newark, Smyrna, Milford) run their own municipal electric departments. DPL gas service is confined to New Castle County.
New Castle County
Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, Bear, Brandywine Hundred, the I-95 corridor. This is also the only county where DPL provides natural gas service.
Kent County
Dover (municipal areas excluded), Camden, Smyrna outskirts, Magnolia, Felton. Rural areas overlap with Delaware Electric Cooperative service.
Sussex County
Beach towns including Rehoboth, Bethany, Lewes (outside the municipal grid), Seaford, Georgetown, Millsboro. DPL serves the I-1 / Route 1 corridor; rural inland Sussex is largely DEC territory.
DPL also serves about 300,000 electric customers on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset, Dorchester, Caroline, Talbot, Queen Anne's, Kent and Cecil counties), which sit outside the scope of this Delaware page.
Delmarva Power's Standard Offer Service (SOS) rate
SOS is the default supply price DPL charges if you have not picked a certified competitive supplier. It is the benchmark every shopping offer should be compared against. The exact SOS supply rate is printed on page 2 of every DPL bill (look for "Price to Compare").
DE all-in residential price (Mar 2026)
17.64 ¢/kWh
Statewide average, supply + delivery (EIA)
Reset cadence
June 1, annual
Residential SOS auction, overseen by the DPSC
What it means for you
Because supply makes up about 65% of a typical bill (per the Delaware PSC), a competitive offer that beats Delmarva's SOS supply price lowers your supply line on day one; delivery, customer charge and riders are unchanged. Many suppliers reset after a 3 to 6 month introductory period, so always read the disclosure statement and check renewal terms. Locking a fixed price for 12 to 24 months hedges the next June 1 SOS reset, but you will pay a small risk premium for that certainty.
Sources: Delmarva Power; Delaware Public Service Commission SOS docket filings; EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, March 2026.
Delmarva Power contact directory
Use these direct lines instead of the main menu when you already know what you need.
| Reason for the call | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Residential customer service | 1-800-375-7117 | Mon to Fri 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Electric outage (24/7) | 1-800-898-8045 | 24/7 automated, text OUT to 79673 |
| Gas leak emergency (24/7, DE only) | 302-454-0317 | 24/7; call 911 first if anyone is in danger |
| Business customer service | 1-800-655-8509 | Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Hearing impaired (Delaware Relay) | 711 | 24/7 |
| Mailing address (payments) | Delmarva Power, PO Box 13609, Philadelphia, PA 19101 | |
| Headquarters | 500 N. Wakefield Drive, Newark, DE 19702 | |
If you cannot pay your bill
Delaware runs a layered safety net for households who fall behind. Apply before a disconnect notice arrives; once enrolled in a payment plan, the state's winter moratorium protects most residential customers from shut-off between mid-November and the end of March.
Delaware LIHEAP
Federal heating grant administered by the DE Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Division of State Service Centers. Opens each November, closes around early April.
Crisis Assistance Program
DHSS emergency grant for households facing imminent shut-off or fuel run-out. Year-round eligibility once LIHEAP is exhausted; apply through a State Service Center.
Good Neighbor Energy Fund
DPL's hardship grant funded by customer donations and corporate matching, administered by the Salvation Army of Delaware. One-time annual assistance for households just above LIHEAP income limits.
Call 1-800-375-7117 or dial 2-1-1 to be connected to the right Delaware program for your situation.
Can I switch suppliers in Delmarva territory?
Yes. The Delaware Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999 opened retail electric supply to competition. Residential customers can stay on DPL's Standard Offer Service or pick a certified electric supplier from the Delaware PSC's Customer Electric Choice list. Delmarva still owns the wires; only the supply line on your bill changes.
The Delaware PSC does not regulate supplier prices, and the state does not run a price-comparison engine like Pennsylvania's PAPowerSwitch. You must visit each supplier's website (or call them) to get a quote, then compare it to the Price to Compare shown on your DPL bill. The PSC publishes a current Certified Electric Suppliers list and a free PDF guide called Questions to ask potential electric suppliers; read both before signing.
A switch typically takes 1 to 2 billing cycles, and Delmarva does not charge a switching fee. A supplier may bill an early-termination fee if you leave a fixed-term contract before the end date; that fee must be disclosed up front on the contract summary.
Be careful with variable-rate offers
Variable or "introductory" rates can jump sharply after the teaser period. Check the renewal clause and whether the rate is capped. Fixed-rate 12 to 24 month contracts are usually safer for households on a budget.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Delmarva Power?
Is Delmarva Power the same company as Pepco?
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in Delaware?
What is the current Standard Offer Service rate?
Who do I call for an outage or downed power line?
Does Delmarva Power deliver natural gas?
How does the Standard Offer Service auction work?
Is help available if I cannot pay my bill?
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