Electricity Competition in DC

May 9, 2011

As I wrote yesterday about the lack of residential energy choice participation by rate payers in DC I alluded to the reasons why the market has not yet taken off as it has in Maryland. Particularly when a resident or a business owner can actually buy 100% wind power at a lower cost per kwh than Pepco is currently offering. Part of the challenge is education for the consumers. Trying to get someone on the phone at Pepco to explain energy choice to you in not an easy task, perhaps not even Pepco's job. The DC Public Service Commission has great information on their web site, but the commission is overwhelmed with work and despite the great people working at the commission, there is only so much you can get done in a day.

The other advantage Maryland has over DC is something called Purchase of Receivables or POR. POR is simply the utility (Pepco DC) taking over the financial responsibility of collecting and owning the accounts that go bad. Part of the reasoning behind this POR program is the fact that third party suppliers can not shut down your electricity if you don't pay your bill, but the regulated utility can. This POR process does eliminate the majority of the risk from the supplier stand point, not all of the risk. On the consumer side, POR allows rate payers who have has credit issues for what ever reason beefit from lower rates and perhaps help the consumer on his or her way back to financial solvency.

Since POR was introduced in Maryland the number of residential third party suppliers has more than tripled and the benefactors of this are the rate payers who are enjoying the benefits of energy choice. Perhaps it is time for DC to roll out POR, Pepco Maryland is doing it! Meanwhile if you are a DC resident with a Pepco bill, grab your staement and click here to get lower rates for your electricity supply! My Lower Rate

Next up for discussion is how the business community in DC can benefit from energy choice.

Why Everyone Is Talking About Utility Bill Audits (And You Should Too)

By Russell Lacey • June 24, 2026
For most business owners, the monthly utility bill is just another line item to be paid and filed away. You glance at the total, ensure it isn't astronomically higher than last month, and move on. But in 2026, with energy markets facing unprecedented volatility and complex new tariff structures, that "glance and pay" strategy is costing American businesses billions in overpayments. The good news? You don’t have to just accept these costs as the price of doing business. Everyone is talking about utility bill audits because they have transitioned from a "nice-to-have" occasional check to a critical financial strategy. At Electric Advisors, Inc., we’ve seen firsthand how a meticulous review of historical invoices can uncover significant refunds and permanent rate reductions. 

The Easiest 8-12% Your Business Will Ever Save: Community Solar in MD & DE

By Russell Lacey • June 15, 2026
In the world of commercial operations, finding a way to slash overhead by double digits without spending a dime upfront is usually a red flag for a "too good to be true" offer. But in 2026, for businesses operating within the BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva utility territories across Maryland and Delaware, this isn't a sales pitch, it’s a regulatory reality. Community solar has evolved from a niche pilot program into a mainstream financial strategy for savvy business owners. If your business pays its own utility bills but doesn't have the roof space, the capital, or the long-term lease to install traditional solar panels, community solar is your bridge to immediate savings. The good news? You can typically reduce your monthly electricity spend by 8% to 12% simply by enrolling. Here is how your business can capture this "easy win." Key Takeaways Zero Upfront Costs: No installation, no equipment maintenance, and no capital expenditure. Guaranteed Savings: Most subscriptions offer a fixed percentage discount (typically 8–12%) on the solar credits applied to your bill. Tenant-Friendly: Perfect for businesses that rent their office, warehouse, or retail space. Market Reach: Available to businesses in BGE, Pepco, Potomac Edison, and Delmarva (MD & DE) territories. Risk Mitigation: Electric Advisors handles the vetting to ensure you choose a project with favorable terms and no hidden cancellation fees.

Beating the "Summer Surge": Preparing Your Business for June 1st

By Russell Lacey • April 17, 2026
For most business owners in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, June 1st marks the unofficial start of summer: the return of rooftop happy hours, tourists swarming the National Mall, and the inevitable cranking of the HVAC system. But in the world of energy management, June 1st is something much more significant. It is the "Energy New Year." If you manage a commercial property, a non-profit, or a restaurant, this date represents the reset button for how your utility costs are calculated for the next twelve months. While many decision-makers focus solely on the "supply rate" on their bill, there is a hidden mechanism called the Peak Load Contribution (PLC) that could be quietly inflating your costs by thousands of dollars The good news? You aren’t powerless. By understanding how the grid works and taking a few strategic steps this spring, you can "beat the surge" and secure better financial predictability for your organization. The June 1st Milestone: Why It’s the "Energy New Year" In the Mid-Atlantic region: specifically within the territories served by utilities like Pepco and BGE: we operate under the PJM Interconnection . PJM is the regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity across 13 states and D.C. Every year on June 1st, PJM begins a new "delivery year." This is the date when the "Capacity Tags" (or PLC) assigned to every commercial building are updated based on the previous summer’s usage. Why does this matter to you? Because the capacity charge often makes up 25% to 40% of a commercial electricity bill. If your building was inefficient during the hottest days of last summer, you are about to pay the price for it starting this June. Conversely, what you do this summer will dictate your fixed costs for June 2027 through May 2028.  The Hidden Problem: Understanding Capacity Charges and Your PLC Most business owners look at their bill and see "Kilowatt-hours (kWh)": that’s how much energy you used. But the Capacity Charge is based on your "Peak Load Contribution." Think of it like a "reservation fee" for the grid. PJM needs to ensure there is enough power available if every single building turned on every single light and AC unit at the exact same moment. To fund this readiness, they charge businesses based on their highest usage during the grid's "Five Peak Hours" of the previous summer. The Problem: If your restaurant, condo building, or school had a massive spike in usage on a Tuesday afternoon in July when the grid was stressed, your PLC (or Capacity Tag) will be high. You will then be billed at that "peak" rate every single month for the following year, regardless of how little energy you use in the winter. For many commercial clients, this is a "ghost charge" that feels impossible to control. But with the right services , it becomes a manageable variable.