Maryland electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in Maryland is 21.77 cents per kilowatt-hour, 18.1% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 15th highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +14.6% from 19.00¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- +18.1% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #15 of 51 · #37 cheapest
- Supply market
- PJM Retail choice statewide
Why Maryland pays what it pays
Maryland restructured in the late 1990s and its utilities sold their power plants. Two decades later the state consumes far more electricity than it generates and imports the balance across a transmission network that is itself congested. When regional prices rise, Maryland has no generation position to offset them.
The 2025 and 2026 PJM capacity auctions cleared at record levels, and Maryland's Standard Offer Service auctions repriced accordingly. Because Maryland is a constrained import zone, it also pays locational charges that inland PJM states do not.
Delivery costs have risen too. Maryland regulators approved multi-year rate plans allowing utilities to recover grid-modernisation spending on a forward-looking basis, which accelerates recovery relative to traditional rate cases.
How Maryland compares
Maryland ranks #15 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 37th cheapest. Within the South Atlantic division, 7 of 8 neighbouring states are cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 15.09 | +5.4% | #35 |
| Florida | 15.17 | +1.3% | #33 |
| Georgia | 15.84 | +5.7% | #30 |
| South Carolina | 16.18 | +5.0% | #27 |
| West Virginia | 16.80 | +3.8% | #23 |
| Virginia | 17.61 | +15.4% | #21 |
| Delaware | 19.38 | +6.9% | #19 |
| Maryland | 21.77 | +14.6% | #15 |
| District of Columbia | 25.40 | +24.3% | #10 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State. Data period May 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
What a bill looks like at this rate
The figures below apply the May 2026 Maryland average to four usage levels. They are arithmetic, not quotes. A real bill also carries fixed customer charges, taxes and any rider specific to your utility.
Estimate your Maryland bill
Multiply your own usage by the May 2026 state average. Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement. This is a supply-and-delivery blended average, not a utility quote.
Rate used: …. U.S. average 18.44¢/kWh, May 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
Who sells electricity in Maryland
Baltimore Gas and Electric serves the Baltimore region, Pepco the Washington suburbs, Delmarva Power the Eastern Shore, and Potomac Edison western Maryland. All are delivery-only for residential service.
Maryland has full retail choice, and the Public Service Commission has taken repeated enforcement action against residential suppliers after finding that customers who switched paid more in aggregate than Standard Offer Service customers.
What you can actually do about it
Treat competitive supplier offers in Maryland with particular scepticism. The state's own analyses have found consistent net losses for residential switchers. If you do switch, use a fixed term only, and note the expiry date.
Maryland's EmPOWER programme funds efficiency work through a bill surcharge you are already paying. The free home energy audit is the highest-return first step.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of Maryland, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
Maryland electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in Maryland?
The average residential electricity rate in Maryland is 21.77 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is +18.1% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is a typical monthly electric bill in Maryland?
At the May 2026 average rate of 21.77¢/kWh, a household using 900 kWh a month would pay about $196, and one using 1,500 kWh about $327. Actual bills vary with usage, rate schedule, fixed customer charges and taxes.
Have electricity rates in Maryland gone up?
Maryland rates rose 14.6% over the year to May 2026, from 19.00¢ in May 2025 to 21.77¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in Maryland?
Retail choice statewide. Residential customers in Maryland can buy supply from a competitive provider while the local utility continues to deliver it and maintain the wires.
Where does this Maryland rate figure come from?
It is the residential-sector average revenue per kilowatt-hour reported by utilities to the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Form EIA-861M and published in the Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. It blends supply and delivery across every residential customer in the state, so it is a statewide average rather than a quote for any individual household.