Who runs the utilities in Maryland?
Maryland has 2,446,164 residential customers, EIA-861 2024 sales file (100% of EIA's count). Investor-owned 90.4%. Cooperative 8.7%. Municipal 1.0%. Maryland ranks 12th of 51 states, investor-owned.
Maryland homes by utility type
Maryland: customers by type, %
- 90.4Investor-owned
- 1.0Municipal
- 8.7Cooperative
| Maryland type | Utilities | Customers | Share | Price ¢/kWh | Gap ¢ (%) | kWh/mo | Nonmetro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned | 1 | 2,210,643 | 90.4% | 18.02 | not shown | 893 | 8% |
| Municipal | 5 | 23,689 | 1.0% | 9.85 | -8.17 (-45%) | 960 | 36% |
| Cooperative | 2 | 211,832 | 8.7% | 15.22 | -2.79 (-16%) | 1,138 | 13% |
In Maryland, 288,585 customers (12%) are energy-only accounts with a competitive supplier.
Maryland prices by utility type
municipal utilities average 9.8 cents, 8.2 cents (45%) below investor-owned at 18.0; cooperatives average 15.2 cents, 2.8 cents (16%) below investor-owned at 18.0.
Maryland gaps mix cost and customer mix; method.
Maryland: which utilities set the averages
Investor-owned at 18.0 cents and municipal utilities at 9.8 are the widest pair in Maryland, 8.2 cents (83%).
Investor-owned: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co holds 53% of priced customers at 17.9 cents, group average 18.0. Among 4 with 5,000+ customers, The Potomac Edison Company charges 13.8 and Delmarva Power 20.2, 6.4 cents apart.
Municipal: Hagerstown Light Department holds 64% of priced customers at 7.8 cents, group average 9.8. Among 2 with 5,000+ customers, Hagerstown Light Department charges 7.8 and Easton Utilities Comm 13.1, 5.3 cents apart.
Cooperative: Southern Maryland Elec Coop Inc holds 76% of priced customers at 14.8 cents, group average 15.2. Among 2 with 5,000+ customers, Southern Maryland Elec Coop Inc charges 14.8 and Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc 16.5, 1.6 cents apart.
Maryland territory, rural or urban
Maryland has 24 counties, 29% of them nonmetro in USDA's 2023 codes. Customer-weighted: investor-owned territory is 8% nonmetro; municipal territory is 36% nonmetro; cooperative territory is 13% nonmetro.
Maryland: largest utilities
| Baltimore Gas & Electric Co | Investor-owned | 1,214,100 | 17.91 | 869 | 0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potomac Electric Power Co | Investor-owned | 553,607 | 20.08 | 830 | 0% |
| The Potomac Edison Company | Investor-owned | 256,568 | 13.83 | 1,086 | 29% |
| Delmarva Power | Investor-owned | 186,368 | 20.22 | 943 | 50% |
| Southern Maryland Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | 160,882 | 14.84 | 1,146 | 0% |
| Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc | Cooperative | 50,697 | 16.45 | 1,113 | 56% |
| Hagerstown Light Department | Municipal | 15,099 | 7.77 | 913 | 0% |
| Easton Utilities Comm | Municipal | 8,590 | 13.06 | 1,041 | 100% |
| A & N Electric Coop | Cooperative | 253 | 13.69 | 733 | 0% |
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Maryland next to its neighbors
Maryland: municipal -45%, cooperative -16% against investor-owned. Gaps are within each state.
| State | Investor-owned | Municipal | Cooperative | Muni gap | Coop gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 90% | 1% | 9% | -45% | -16% |
| Delaware | 66% | 11% | 23% | -4% | -17% |
| District of Columbia | 100% | 0% | 0% | not shown | not shown |
| Pennsylvania | 97% | 0% | 3% | not shown | -10% |
| Virginia | 80% | 3% | 17% | -10% | -5% |
| West Virginia | 100% | 0% | 0% | not shown | not shown |
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Similar investor-owned share: Illinois 93%, Massachusetts 91%, Ohio 89%, Michigan 89%
Sources
Maryland: EIA-861 (2024), USDA RUCC (2023); retrieval dates, checksums.
Questions
Which utility type serves most Maryland homes?
Investor-owned utilities, 90.4% of 2,446,164 customers.
Do Maryland co-ops or municipal utilities charge less?
Municipal utilities averaged 9.8 cents per kWh against 18.0 for investor-owned (-45%). Cooperatives averaged 15.2 cents per kWh against 18.0 for investor-owned (-16%).
How many utilities does Maryland have?
EIA-861 (2024) lists 8; residential sales are reported by 9.
Can Maryland customers pick their utility?
Not the wires: 12% of Maryland customers choose an energy supplier, and the local utility still delivers.