Posted on March 7, 2017
TOWN OF BERLIN, MARYLAND
Office of the Mayor
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Information Contact:
Town Administrator Laura Allen
410-641-2770
Berlin Maintains Lowest Electric Rates
Town Electric Bills Remain Lower than Alternative Regional Providers
(March 7, 2017) — Berlin continues to have lowest rates among regional electric power providers on the Delmarva Peninsula, including Delmarva Power and Choptank Electric Cooperative, Mayor Gee Williams announced this week.
“I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how Berlin’s power rates compare with alternative providers in the region since Delmarva Power received their most recent rate increase approval last month from the Maryland Public Service Commission,” said Mayor Williams.
“We work to keep our rates competitive. Our membership in American Municipal Power (AMP) enables the Town of Berlin to take advantage of the bulk purchasing power of multiple municipal systems, as well as drops in energy prices that occur from time to time,” he added. AMP is a nonprofit wholesale power supplier and services provider for 133 member utilities in nine states, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
Based on an average residential monthly bill (1,000 kWh) a Berlin Electric customer pays $128.74, a Choptank Electric Cooperative customer pays $138.33, and a Delmarva Power customer will pay $151.79 based on their rate increase approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission in February.
In 2015, Berlin entered into a purchased power contract with AMP that reduced the cost of energy from approximately 6.39 cents per kilowatt hour to approximately 5.95 cents per kilowatt hour through December 2017. Beginning in 2018, the Town’s power cost will be reduced further. Through the Town’s power cost adjustment, customers should see a 5 to 7 percent decrease in their bills about a year from now, by spring 2018.
“Our rates are competitive now and will stay that way through 2020,” stated Town Administrator Laura Allen. “Since we joined AMP, we’re able to take an even more timely approach and faster response to how we purchase power based on changes in the power supply market. AMP has employees watching the market every day, so we’re able to take advantage of price decreases even more quickly than before,” she added.
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Categories: News
