Who runs the utilities in Delaware?
Delaware has 456,518 residential customers, EIA-861 2024 sales file (96% of EIA's count). Investor-owned 66.1%. Cooperative 23.0%. Municipal 10.9%. Delaware ranks 35th of 51 states, investor-owned.
Delaware homes by utility type
Delaware: customers by type, %
- 66.1Investor-owned
- 10.9Municipal
- 23.0Cooperative
| Delaware type | Utilities | Customers | Share | Price ¢/kWh | Gap ¢ (%) | kWh/mo | Nonmetro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned | 1 | 301,950 | 66.1% | 17.23 | not shown | 884 | 33% |
| Municipal | 9 | 49,729 | 10.9% | 16.49 | -0.74 (-4%) | 822 | 7% |
| Cooperative | 1 | 104,839 | 23.0% | 14.22 | -3.01 (-17%) | 1,031 | 50% |
In Delaware, 27,160 customers (6%) are energy-only accounts with a competitive supplier.
Delaware prices by utility type
municipal utilities average 16.5 cents, 0.7 cents (4%) below investor-owned at 17.2; cooperatives average 14.2 cents, 3.0 cents (17%) below investor-owned at 17.2.
Delaware gaps mix cost and customer mix; method.
Delaware: which utilities set the averages
Investor-owned at 17.2 cents and cooperatives at 14.2 are the widest pair in Delaware, 3.0 cents (21%).
Investor-owned: Delmarva Power alone has a price, 275,018 customers at 17.2 cents.
Municipal: City of Dover holds 43% of priced customers at 15.5 cents, group average 16.5. Among 4 with 5,000+ customers, City of Milford charges 15.2 and City of Newark 19.0, 3.8 cents apart.
Cooperative: Delaware Electric Cooperative alone has a price, 104,839 customers at 14.2 cents.
Delaware territory, rural or urban
Delaware has 3 counties, 33% of them nonmetro in USDA's 2023 codes. Customer-weighted: investor-owned territory is 33% nonmetro; municipal territory is 7% nonmetro; cooperative territory is 50% nonmetro.
Delaware: largest utilities
| Delmarva Power | Investor-owned | 301,950 | 17.23 | 884 | 33% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 104,839 | 14.22 | 1,031 | 50% |
| City of Dover | Municipal | 21,601 | 15.52 | 814 | 0% |
| City of Newark | Municipal | 11,888 | 18.99 | 692 | 0% |
| Town of Middletown | Municipal | 9,071 | 17.12 | 924 | 0% |
| City of Milford | Municipal | 7,169 | 15.17 | 930 | 50% |
Compare your Delaware utility
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Delaware next to its neighbors
Delaware: municipal -4%, cooperative -17% against investor-owned. Gaps are within each state.
| State | Investor-owned | Municipal | Cooperative | Muni gap | Coop gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 66% | 11% | 23% | -4% | -17% |
| Maryland | 90% | 1% | 9% | -45% | -16% |
| New Jersey | 99% | 1% | 0% | -7% | not shown |
| Pennsylvania | 97% | 0% | 3% | not shown | -10% |
More
Similar investor-owned share: Oklahoma 68%, Missouri 67%, South Dakota 64%, Minnesota 60%
Sources
Delaware: EIA-861 (2024), USDA RUCC (2023); retrieval dates, checksums.
Questions
Which utility type serves most Delaware homes?
Investor-owned utilities, 66.1% of 456,518 customers.
Do Delaware co-ops or municipal utilities charge less?
Municipal utilities averaged 16.5 cents per kWh against 17.2 for investor-owned (-4%). Cooperatives averaged 14.2 cents per kWh against 17.2 for investor-owned (-17%).
How many utilities does Delaware have?
EIA-861 (2024) lists 11; residential sales are reported by 6.
Can Delaware customers pick their utility?
Not the wires: 6% of Delaware customers choose an energy supplier, and the local utility still delivers.