Compare Maryland Electricity Rates and Save

Once Maryland adopted the Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of 1999, consumers and businesses alike were empowered to shop, compare, and switch electricity suppliers, taking advantage of the newly competitive energy market.

By shopping and comparing energy rates, customers can take advantage of market competition, selecting a supplier that will help them avoid seasonal rate changes or choose clean, carbon-free energy and renewable energy options.

If you want to shop and save but don’t know where to start, we’ll walk you through it. Here’s all you need to know.

1. Energy Harbor’s clean energy option
2. A brief history of Energy Choice and energy suppliers in Maryland
3. A quick 101 on how energy reaches your home
4. Compare Maryland electric suppliers’ rates
5. Maryland electric utility companies
6. Maryland natural gas utility companies
7. How to find and switch to the best Maryland electric suppliers in 6 simple steps
8. Why choose Energy Harbor: The clean energy difference
9. More about Energy Harbor
10. FAQs

Only 17 states, including Maryland, enjoy some form of deregulation. Most of those states were inspired by the federal government’s Energy Policy Act of 1992. The goal of the legislation, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, was to promote energy efficiency, renewable and sustainable energy, and the development of alternative fuels. Highlights include:

• Setting energy efficiency standards for household appliances and other equipment
• Providing grants and loans through the Department of Energy for renewable and sustainable energy projects, research, and development
• Promoting the use of alternative fuels
• Encouraging competition in the wholesale electricity market, providing utility rate restructuring guidelines, and supporting the development of independent power production

Like a handful of states before it, Maryland's energy deregulation effort focused on introducing Energy Choice to Maryland consumers and businesses. The goal was to foster competitive pricing and innovative energy options for consumers.

While the legislation passed in 1999, the ability to choose unfolded in stages. Large commercial and industrial customers were the first to compare energy prices in 2000. Sometime later, consumers gained the ability to shop and save for their Maryland residence. 

Energy reaches Maryland homes and businesses through the interconnected work of three types of electric and natural gas companies – generation companies, suppliers, and utility companies. Some companies, like Energy Harbor, provide both electricity generation and electricity supply. 

• Generation companies produce electricity via several methods, including sustainable and clean energy sources, like nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, solar, and others, and provide it to the grid. They also invest in infrastructure and maintain power plants.
• Suppliers, sometimes called Electricity Suppliers, buy energy wholesale from generation companies, primarily, and sell it to consumers. Suppliers also shop and compare, then pass savings along to customers, knowing they have the option to choose their electricity supplier.
• Utility companies operate local distribution systems that deliver energy to homes and businesses. Utilities maintain the grid, or the energy infrastructure that includes power lines, transformers, substations, and more. Anything that distributes electricity within their service territory. 

Securing a competitive rate for electricity is one of the biggest advantages of Energy Choice, and why legislators wanted energy deregulated in Maryland. Customers can compare Maryland electric suppliers and select the right kind of plan to meet their unique needs.

To help residents find the best electric rates in Maryland, the MD Electric Choice website is the official electric choice shopping website of the Maryland Public Service Commission. The site helps customers by providing access to energy-saving tips, savings resources, and a list of suppliers and utilities, making it easy to compare plans. 

Four utility companies in Maryland are responsible for distributing and transmitting electricity to Maryland customers.

Three major utilities distribute natural gas to customers throughout Maryland. 

If you’re ready to start comparing energy suppliers in Maryland – and potentially make a switch – here are six simple steps you can follow to ensure switching success.

Knowing how much you pay monthly for electricity and natural gas – as well as how that price is determined – will help you make a more informed decision when comparing plans. 

Most electricity plans come in one of two varieties – fixed-rate plans and variable-rate plans. With a fixed rate, you pay the same rate each billing cycle through the plan contract, regardless of fluctuations in the energy market. The price you pay for electricity could shift significantly from month to month with a variable rate plan, depending on market prices. Beyond rate, the energy provided by clean and green energy plans could save you money over the long term.

Learn more about the pros and cons of fixed-rate and variable-rate plans by reading The Truth About Variable-Rate and Fixed-Rate Plans.

Short-term plans typically last 6 to 12 months. Long-term plans can extend beyond 18 – even up to 48 months. Short-term plans are best if you regularly shop for new rates. Long-term plans lock in a great rate for a big stretch of time.

Long-term fixed-rate plans also provide price stability and protection from potential price increases in the energy market. With a fixed-rate plan, you can budget your energy expenses with more certainty. Additionally, long-term fixed-rate plans can offer peace of mind and reduce the stress of constantly monitoring and shopping for new energy rates.

Some energy companies offer incentives to entice you to make the switch. Make sure you don’t miss out on those offers before you switch energy companies. Incentives range from gift cards to energy-efficient products and everything in between. These incentives can make the switch to clean energy even more attractive and financially beneficial. 

When researching energy suppliers, it's important to choose a plan that matches both your individual values and your budget. Start by knowing how the energy you’re using now is generated. Is it created by a plant that burns fossil fuels? Fossil fuels have an incredibly damaging effect on our climate, as most of us know.  If you are environmentally conscious, for example, you may want to consider renewable and clean energy sources or evaluate the environmental impact of each supplier. Read reviews, visit social media, and take the time to learn more about each energy company. The right research will reveal the best Maryland energy rates for your needs.

Making the switch to the new provider is simple. In fact, your new supplier will manage the entire process with your electric utility company.

No matter who your electric supplier is, local utility companies remain responsible for the service and maintenance of the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. All outages and downed power lines should be reported to your local utility immediately.

If you plan on moving soon, find out which service areas are covered by your supplier. If they offer plans in your new area, they may be able to help transfer service.

Still have questions about how to switch? Check out How to Choose an Electricity or Natural Gas Plan to learn more.

When it comes to climate change, carbon emissions from fossil fuels are “by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions,” according to the United Nation’s Climate Action task force.

Because generating electricity via nuclear power is a carbon-free, zero-emission product, it is defined as a clean energy resource. One that is as clean as renewable energy, according to the International Panel on Climate Change. Nuclear power avoids more than 471 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, nearly equivalent to removing 100 million passenger cars from the road. By reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, we can improve air quality and help mitigate climate change.

It’s more than that, of course. Nuclear energy produces more electricity on less land – about 50 acres – than any other clean-air source. To produce the same amount of electricity as a 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility, you would need more than 3 million solar panels, says the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy. You'd need 1,500 acres to build that solar farm.  

Nuclear power also produces a fraction of the physical and chemical waste other energy resources do. Electricity generated from a typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant, which would supply the needs of more than 1 million people, produces only three cubic meters of “vitrified high-level waste” per year, according to World Nuclear Association. By comparison, a 1,000-megawatt coal-fired power plant produces about 300,000 tons of ash and more than 6 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, says the organization. In fact, the physical waste produced by nuclear fuel in the U.S. over the last 60 years would fit on about 10 yards of a standard football field. And in the future, much of this waste will be reprocessed and recycled.

Energy Harbor is proud of its ability to offer zero-carbon energy plan options that empower consumers to contribute to a clean energy future. Ohio’s Davis-Besse and Perry plants help generate safe, reliable nuclear energy that provides 88% of the state’s emission-free electricity. 

Based in Akron, Ohio, and both an energy generator and retail supplier, Energy Harbor’s supply services are backed by actual power generation capabilities. That means Energy Harbor can provide long-term fixed price protection against fluctuating energy prices.

As the owner and operator of one of the most reliable and efficient generation fleets in North America, Energy Harbor provides dependable, affordable, carbon-free electricity to Maryland homes and communities.