How to Switch Electricity Suppliers in Delaware: A Step-by-Step Guide for Cannabis Businesses
Delmarva Power customers in Delaware may buy generation from a Public Service Commission-certified competitive supplier under the Electric Utility Restructuring Act. The supplier submits enrollment, the switch can complete in as few as three business days, and delivery charges stay with Delmarva. Co-op and municipal customers cannot use this process. The steps below follow Delaware's SOS auctions, Hourly Priced Service default for large accounts, and PSC consumer protection rules.
Step 1: Confirm Delmarva Power service
PSC retail electric choice applies to all Delmarva Power customers in Delaware [de-psc-electric-choice]. Delaware Electric Cooperative and municipal systems in Newark, Dover, Milford, Seaford, Smyrna, Middletown, New Castle, Lewes, and Clayton are outside PSC jurisdiction [de-psc-electric-choice].
Cannabis operators often assume choice exists statewide because Delaware is small. Check the utility on the bill or Delmarva's service map before leasing.
Step 2: Gather twelve months of bills
Extract account number, meter number, rate schedule (SGS-ND, MGS-S, LGS-S, GS-P), monthly kWh, peak kW on demand-billed accounts, and supply line dollars. The utility bill page identifies each field.
Accounts must be in the licensee's legal name. Landlord-held meters require landlord cooperation.
Step 3: Identify fixed SOS vs. Hourly Priced Service
| Default type | Who gets it | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed SOS | Small and medium commercial from reverse auctions [de-psc-electric-choice] | Published SOS rate for rate class |
| Hourly Priced Service | Larger non-residential customers [de-psc-electric-choice] | Trailing 12-month supply $/kWh |
Half of Delmarva commercial and industrial load already shops [de-psc-electric-choice], so suppliers are familiar with Delaware enrollment.
Step 4: Verify PSC certification
Suppliers must be certified under 26 Del. Admin. Code 3001 [de-psc-electric-choice]. Use the PSC certified supplier list on the Delaware Public Service Commission customer electric choice site [de-psc-electric-choice].
Step 5: Compare offers on identical terms
Delaware is entirely in PJM [de-psc-electric-choice]. Supplier contracts pass through PJM capacity obligation and network transmission [de-psc-electric-choice]. Align pass-through language before comparing headline cents per kWh.
Use the contract comparison worksheet. Watch for three-month introductory price caps required by PSC rules [de-psc-electric-choice].
Step 6: Sign and select billing method
Read contract terms for renewal and termination. Variable rates cannot change more than monthly [de-psc-electric-choice].
Choose consolidated Delmarva billing (supplier charge on Delmarva bill) or supplier single bill per accounting preference [de-psc-learn-choice].
Step 7: Supplier submits enrollment
The supplier enrolls the account with Delmarva electronically [de-psc-electric-choice]. Processing aligns with meter read cycles.
Step 8: Exercise rescission if needed
PSC rules provide a three-business-day rescission window on new supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice]. Document the processing date to know when rescission expires.
Step 9: Verify the first bill and calendar renewal
Confirm supply moved off SOS or HPS on the expected read date. Delivery lines should be unchanged [de-psc-electric-choice].
Calendar renewal 90 days early. Large accounts lapsing to Hourly Priced Service face PJM hourly volatility [de-psc-electric-choice].
Mistakes Delaware operators make
- Shopping supply on a co-op address. No PSC enrollment path exists [de-psc-electric-choice].
- Ignoring HPS default on grows. Large cultivation should not run on hourly default without a hedge strategy.
- Introductory rate confusion. PSC caps intro prices at three months [de-psc-electric-choice]; know the post-intro rate.
- Forgetting delivery rate case. Docket 25-1555 moves Delmarva delivery regardless of supplier [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555].
The Delaware rate page holds class tables. Confirm current PSC rules before signing.
Billing options after enrollment
Delmarva can bill supply on the same invoice as delivery or through a supplier single bill depending on supplier capability [de-psc-learn-choice]. Most cannabis operators keep Delmarva delivery billing for accounting continuity because property managers and lenders already recognize the utility bill format. Dual billing splits delivery and supply across two invoices and increases AP workload without changing the underlying rates.
Variable-rate contracts and the monthly change cap
PSC rules limit variable-rate changes to once per month and cap introductory prices at three months [de-psc-electric-choice]. If a supplier offers an intro rate, mark the calendar for the post-intro price and confirm it is not another intro tier. Cannabis operators with thin finance staff often miss the third-month step-up.
Returning to Standard Offer Service
You may return to Delmarva SOS by contacting the utility or allowing a supplier contract to lapse [de-psc-electric-choice]. Read termination fees in the supplier agreement first. Large accounts returning to default land on Hourly Priced Service, which tracks PJM markets [de-psc-electric-choice]. That is the highest-volatility default in Delaware and a poor place to sit unintentionally after a contract expires.
Cultivation-specific enrollment notes
Grow accounts with interval meters should authorize the supplier to receive interval data during enrollment if the contract price depends on load shape [de-psc-electric-choice]. Batch-processing labs on the same campus as cultivation may share a meter; supplier offers must reflect combined load unless submeters are installed for allocation only.
Co-op and municipal operators
If due diligence reveals the site is on Delaware Electric Cooperative or a municipal system, stop the Delmarva enrollment path [de-psc-electric-choice]. No PSC-certified supplier can serve those meters. Re-scope the project around co-op or city rate schedules and state efficiency programs instead.
Documentation checklist before signing
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Account number and meter number | Enrollment rejects on typos [de-psc-electric-choice] |
| Rate schedule (SGS-ND, MGS-S, etc.) | Product fit and SOS tier |
| Twelve months kWh and peak kW | Benchmark and supplier pricing |
| Tax ID and legal entity name | Must match OMC license holder |
| Desired start month | Aligns with meter read |
Supplier marketing claims
The PSC learn-about-choice materials emphasize comparing offers on equal terms [de-psc-learn-choice]. Introductory rates capped at three months must disclose the follow-on price [de-psc-electric-choice]. Screenshot the offer email and attach it to the signed contract file for rescission disputes.
Cannabis-specific credit review
Suppliers may treat cannabis accounts like other commercial customers in Delmarva territory, but credit teams sometimes request additional documentation. Have OMC license PDFs and financial statements ready to avoid enrollment delays past your target meter read.
After switching: audit quarterly
Compare supply cents/kWh on the bill to contract each quarter. Variable products may drift with index components. Fixed products should match within pass-through lines defined in the contract. Delivery lines should change only when Delmarva tariff or rate case outcomes move [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555].
Three-business-day switch and rescission
PSC supplier rules provide a three-business-day switch and a three-business-day rescission window on new supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice]. Variable-rate changes are limited to monthly; introductory prices cap at three months [de-psc-electric-choice]. Gather twelve months of bills, confirm Delmarva account class, pull SOS or trailing HPS cost as benchmark, verify supplier certification on the PSC site, then compare fixed offers with stated PJM capacity treatment [de-psc-learn-choice].
Quarterly bill review cadence
Maintain a utility folder with the current tariff PDF, last twelve months of bills, interval exports where available, supplier contracts, and witness test reports [de-psc-electric-choice]. Update the folder after every rate case order and every benchmark reset published by the regulator [de-psc-learn-choice]. Facility managers should reconcile billing demand to interval peaks monthly and escalate discrepancies before paying disputed invoices [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555]. Corporate finance should map utility COGS to cultivation, processing, or retail cost centers consistently across sites [de-psc-electric-choice]. Legal should keep meter assignment language in leases aligned with the license holder on the utility account [de-psc-electric-choice]. Confirm current rules with the regulator or your advisor before signing supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice].
Documentation for audits and lenders
Maintain a utility folder with the current tariff PDF, last twelve months of bills, interval exports where available, supplier contracts, and witness test reports [de-psc-electric-choice]. Update the folder after every rate case order and every benchmark reset published by the regulator [de-psc-learn-choice]. Facility managers should reconcile billing demand to interval peaks monthly and escalate discrepancies before paying disputed invoices [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555]. Corporate finance should map utility COGS to cultivation, processing, or retail cost centers consistently across sites [de-psc-electric-choice]. Legal should keep meter assignment language in leases aligned with the license holder on the utility account [de-psc-electric-choice]. Confirm current rules with the regulator or your advisor before signing supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice].
Board reporting on utility COGS
Maintain a utility folder with the current tariff PDF, last twelve months of bills, interval exports where available, supplier contracts, and witness test reports [de-psc-electric-choice]. Update the folder after every rate case order and every benchmark reset published by the regulator [de-psc-learn-choice]. Facility managers should reconcile billing demand to interval peaks monthly and escalate discrepancies before paying disputed invoices [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555]. Corporate finance should map utility COGS to cultivation, processing, or retail cost centers consistently across sites [de-psc-electric-choice]. Legal should keep meter assignment language in leases aligned with the license holder on the utility account [de-psc-electric-choice]. Confirm current rules with the regulator or your advisor before signing supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice].
Tariff verification before budgeting
Maintain a utility folder with the current tariff PDF, last twelve months of bills, interval exports where available, supplier contracts, and witness test reports [de-psc-electric-choice]. Update the folder after every rate case order and every benchmark reset published by the regulator [de-psc-learn-choice]. Facility managers should reconcile billing demand to interval peaks monthly and escalate discrepancies before paying disputed invoices [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555]. Corporate finance should map utility COGS to cultivation, processing, or retail cost centers consistently across sites [de-psc-electric-choice]. Legal should keep meter assignment language in leases aligned with the license holder on the utility account [de-psc-electric-choice]. Confirm current rules with the regulator or your advisor before signing supply contracts [de-psc-electric-choice].
Frequently asked questions
Can a cannabis grow on the Electric Cooperative switch suppliers?
No. PSC retail choice covers Delmarva Power only. Co-op members must work within co-op rates and programs such as Energize Delaware.
How fast is switching in Delaware?
PSC supplier rules provide a three-business-day switch after enrollment processing, faster than many neighboring states.
What is the rescission period?
Three business days on new supply contracts. Use it if the product or rate on the first bill does not match what you signed.
Do variable-rate contracts have limits?
Yes. PSC rules limit variable-rate changes to once per month and cap introductory prices at three months.
Does switching change Delmarva delivery charges?
No. Distribution and delivery are regulated separately. Only the generation supply portion moves to the supplier.
What happens if a large account's supplier contract expires?
The account returns to Delmarva default supply, which for larger non-residential customers is Hourly Priced Service with PJM pass-through, unless you enroll with a new supplier before lapse.
Related reading
- Delaware Cannabis Energy: Electricity Choice, Rates, and Delmarva Power for Licensed Operators
Delaware cannabis power guide: Delmarva retail choice, co-op and municipal exceptions, adult-use launch, and commercial rates near the U.S. average.
- Delaware Commercial Electricity Rates for Cannabis Facilities: Delmarva Classes and SOS Benchmarks
Delaware commercial rates at 14.40 cents/kWh vs. the U.S. average: Delmarva MGS-S and LGS-S classes, SOS benchmarks, and Docket 25-1555 context.
- What Is Energy Deregulation? How Electricity Choice Works for Commercial Customers
How deregulation splits supply from delivery, who gets to choose a supplier, what the utility still does, and where cannabis businesses can shop in 17 markets.
- Contract Terms to Watch: Early Termination Fees, Evergreen Clauses, and Pass-Throughs
Clause-by-clause guide to a retail electricity supply contract: price, swing, pass-throughs, change in law, ETF formulas, renewal notices, assignment, credit.
- Understanding Your Commercial Utility Bill (Line-Item Breakdown)
Supply vs delivery, customer charge, distribution demand, transmission, capacity, riders, power factor, and taxes, with an annotated sample bill for a grow.
- How Long Does Switching Electricity Suppliers Take?
How long supplier switches take: PA's 3-day rule, CT meter-read timing, Texas ERCOT, rescission windows, and mid-contract moves for commercial accounts.
- Can Cannabis Businesses Choose Their Electricity Supplier?
Whether grows and dispensaries can shop for electricity supply in deregulated states, what suppliers may ask, and what stays with the utility after you switch.
- How to Switch Electricity Suppliers in Maryland: A Step-by-Step Guide for Cannabis Businesses
Step-by-step Maryland supplier switching for cannabis accounts on BGE, Pepco, Delmarva, and Potomac Edison: SOS tiers, enrollment, and contract rules.
Jason Taken founded Jaken Energy, the commercial energy procurement practice behind this site. He works with licensed cannabis operators in deregulated electricity markets to lower supply rates, manage demand charges, and evaluate efficiency upgrades.
Sources
Inline citations in this article, such as [de-psc-electric-choice], refer to the entries below. Links open the primary source in a new tab.
- [de-psc-electric-choice]Customer Electric Choice — Delaware Public Service Commission. Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [de-psc-learn-choice]Learn about electric supplier choice — Delaware Public Service Commission. Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [de-psc-rate-case-25-1555]PSC Docket No. 25-1555: Delmarva Power Electric Rate Case Opening Order and Public Notice — Delaware Public Service Commission. Accessed 2026-09-11.