Public Advocate Jameson Tweedie says rising regional demand, higher grid costs, and uncertainty over new generation are pressuring Delaware consumers.

By Delaware LIVE Staff

DOVER, Del. — Delaware faces a growing challenge: finding enough affordable electricity to meet future demand while protecting residents and businesses from rising utility bills.

Delaware Energy Advocate, Jameson Tweddie, spoke with Jane Brady, from A Better Delaware this morning on her weekly podcast.

New power plants, including natural-gas facilities, could be part of the answer. But uncertainty surrounding proposed projects, increasing regional electricity costs and a pending Delmarva Power rate increase leave consumers facing continued financial pressure.

That was the central message from Delaware Public Advocate Jameson Tweedie, who joined Jane Brady on Monday’s A Better Discussion, a public policy podcast presented by A Better Delaware.

Tweedie said Delaware needs additional electricity generation, but the problem extends well beyond the state’s borders. The regional power system is struggling to keep new generation in line with growing demand, particularly from large data centers.

At the same time, the three major components of consumers’ electric bills — generation, transmission and distribution — have been increasing.

New generation could help meet demand

One of the more significant developments discussed was the potential expansion of electricity generation in Delaware.

Tweedie cited a PJM Interconnection study showing nearly 1.8 gigawatts of proposed generating capacity under review in Delaware, most of it natural gas.

PJM’s August 2026 information identified nine proposed projects, including three natural-gas facilities, four solar projects and two energy-storage projects.

However, the proposed projects are not guaranteed to be built.

An independent review of PJM’s interconnection queue reported that a proposed natural-gas project of approximately 1.5 gigawatts in Sussex County had been withdrawn. The withdrawal raises questions about how much of the generation identified in earlier PJM reports remains under active consideration.

A project entering PJM’s study process must undergo technical and financial review before it can move toward construction.

The uncertainty makes it difficult to predict how much additional electricity Delaware will produce in the coming years.

Delaware produces less electricity than it consumes

Although Delaware has substantial installed generating capacity, the state continues to rely heavily on electricity produced elsewhere.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Delaware had approximately 3,303 megawatts of net summer generating capacity in 2024.

The state generated approximately 4.8 million megawatt-hours of electricity that year, while retail customers purchased approximately 11.4 million megawatt-hours.

Those figures illustrate Delaware’s dependence on electricity supplied through the regional power system.

During Monday’s discussion, Brady questioned whether Delaware could better utilize existing generating facilities before encouraging the construction of additional plants.

Tweedie explained that installed capacity does not necessarily translate into actual electricity production.

Power plants operate according to demand, operating costs, transmission limitations and conditions within the regional electricity market. Some facilities generate power continuously, while others operate primarily during periods of high demand.

Delaware is part of PJM Interconnection, which coordinates electricity markets and transmission across 13 states and Washington, D.C.

That means Delaware policymakers can influence which generating facilities are developed in the state, but they cannot independently determine the price or availability of electricity throughout the regional market.

Electric bills have increased dramatically

The financial consequences are already evident in Delaware households.

An April 2026 report from the Delaware Division of the Public Advocate examined 20 years of Delmarva Power electric rates and documented substantial increases.

Among the findings:

• Residential distribution rates have more than doubled since 2006.
• Transmission rates increased 93.5% between 2020 and 2025.
• Residential summer electricity supply rates increased 114.1% between 2021 and 2026.

For years, declining electricity supply costs helped offset increases in transmission and distribution charges.

That trend has reversed.

Tweedie explained that all three components are now rising, putting additional pressure on household budgets.

One particularly troubling development involves PJM’s capacity market, which pays electricity generators to ensure enough power will be available in future years.

Tweedie said capacity-market prices have increased approximately 1,000% over three years.

Although those charges account for only part of a typical electric bill, the increases reflect growing concern that electricity demand is rising faster than new generating capacity can be brought online.

Delmarva seeks another major rate increase

Delaware consumers also face a significant rate case involving Delmarva Power.

The utility initially requested a $67.8 million annual increase in base-rate revenue in December 2025. That amount included approximately $23.2 million already being collected through a separate infrastructure charge.

Delmarva subsequently updated its request to approximately $75.8 million.

The Delaware Public Service Commission allowed an interim increase of approximately $34.3 million to take effect in July while the full request remains under review.

Delmarva appealed the interim decision, arguing that the commission improperly accounted for an existing infrastructure charge and that the company must recover investments necessary to maintain reliable electric service.

Company officials have pointed to improvements in system reliability resulting from infrastructure spending.

Tweedie said his office is reviewing the proposed increase and will challenge expenses it determines are unjust or unreasonable.

The Public Advocate represents residential and small-business customers of regulated utilities before the Public Service Commission and in regional and federal proceedings.

Data centers could substantially increase demand

Another major concern is the rapid growth of large data centers, particularly facilities supporting artificial intelligence.

Tweedie said Delmarva previously examined several potential data-center projects that, if developed together, could have roughly doubled Delaware’s peak electricity demand.

These facilities can require enormous amounts of electricity, creating potential costs for new generation, transmission lines and other infrastructure.

In August, Gov. Matt Meyer signed legislation designed to prevent large electricity users from shifting those costs onto existing consumers.

House Bill 233 established a separate utility rate classification for major electricity users, including data centers, while House Bill 445 requires qualifying large energy facilities to produce or secure enough new generation to meet their power needs.

The legislation also contains provisions intended to prevent additional infrastructure costs from being passed along to residential and small-business customers.

Tweedie acknowledged that data centers can bring significant construction investment and employment opportunities, although permanent employment may be more limited.

His primary concern is ensuring that existing utility customers are not required to subsidize those developments.

Natural gas, nuclear and batteries offer different possibilities

The discussion also examined which energy technologies could help Delaware meet future electricity needs.

Natural gas remains an important part of the regional electricity system and has attracted substantial interest from developers proposing new generation.

However, Tweedie noted that a large natural-gas generating facility could take five to seven years or longer to develop.

Solar generation can generally be developed more quickly, although its output depends on available sunlight.

Nuclear power offers another possibility.

Tweedie served on Delaware’s Nuclear Energy Task Force, which recommended continued examination of nuclear generation.

He emphasized nuclear power’s ability to produce large quantities of dependable, carbon-free electricity around the clock.

But the substantial construction costs and lengthy development process remain obstacles.

Small modular reactors could eventually provide additional options, although Tweedie said their projected costs remain high and the technology has not yet achieved widespread commercial deployment.

Battery storage could offer benefits by capturing electricity when supplies are plentiful and releasing it during periods of peak demand.

Tweedie pointed to large-scale battery deployment in other states as evidence of the technology’s potential to reduce peak electricity costs and avoid some additional infrastructure investments.

The challenge: reliable power at a price consumers can afford

The discussion highlighted two related challenges for Delaware policymakers.

The first is ensuring that sufficient electricity will be available to serve existing customers and support economic growth.

The second is determining how that electricity and the infrastructure needed to deliver it will be paid for.

Generating more electricity within Delaware could improve the state’s available supply, but additional in-state capacity would not automatically lower electric bills because wholesale electricity prices are determined through regional markets.

Tweedie said his office is continuing to advocate for consumers before the Public Service Commission, PJM and federal regulators.

For Delaware households and small businesses, the larger question remains whether policymakers, regulators and energy providers can expand reliable electricity supplies without placing an even greater financial burden on customers.

TO GO: Delaware electricity costs and consumer assistance

• Public Advocate: Jameson Tweedie, Delaware Division of the Public Advocate.
• What the office does: Represents residential and small-business customers of regulated utilities, challenges unreasonable rate requests and helps resolve utility complaints.
• Consumer assistance: Customers experiencing billing disputes, threatened disconnections or other utility problems can contact the office.
• Website: publicadvocate.delaware.gov
• Phone: 302-241-2555
• Related research: Historical Review of Delmarva Power Electric Residential Rates, April 6, 2026, available through the Public Advocate’s website.
• Podcast: A Better Discussion, hosted by Jane Brady, chair of A Better Delaware.
• Broadcast: Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.

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