A Message From Our President

March 10, 2025

      As businesses continue their budgeting process throughout 2025, electricity supply costs across the PJM Interconnection region are rising, driven largely by an increase in capacity charges. Capacity charges, which ensure enough power is available during peak demand, have seen a sharp uptick, leading to higher rates, especially in the DC and Maryland energy markets. Both residential and commercial customers are facing these increases, with supply prices potentially rising by as much as 20%, significantly impacting operational costs across Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Baltimore County, Ann Arundel County and towns all across the east coast.


      However, there is still time to mitigate the coming increase in supply rates. From simple energy efficiency upgrades, such as LED lighting or smart thermostats, to longer-term projects like solar panel installations and power walls, businesses have a range of commercial energy solutions to reduce consumption and control costs. These procurement strategies can offer significant business energy savings over time and position companies for more sustainable energy use.


     We encourage you to talk with business owners and decision-makers in your network about these rising costs. This is a great time to introduce them to Electric Advisors, where we can help them navigate these changes and find ways to reduce their energy expenses. Your referrals can play a crucial role in helping those in your network become more competitive and we've made a profound impact on local businesses up and down the east coast and beyond. See below for an example of where our clients are being serviced.



Best,

Signature:

  Russell Lacey, President











Servicing the following cities:

Germantown

Silver Spring

Gaithersburg

Bethesda

Rockville

Bowie

Columbia

College Park

Towson

Aspen Hill

Wheaton

Potomac

Olney

Clarksburg

Laurel

Calverton

Ellicott City

Dundalk

Catonsville

Essex

Woodlawn

Owings Mills

Clinton

Chillum

Greenbelt

And thousands more across the country!


Give us a call at 240-418-5042 or email us at russell@electricadvisors.com to learn more

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.