DOVER, DE- Delmarva Power customers across Delaware are facing significant bill increases, with some seeing charges double. The rise in costs has prompted frustration and concerns about affordability, leading lawmakers to seek answers.
Charity Brown, a Milford resident and longtime Delmarva Power customer, said she has seen winter rate hikes before, but this increase was staggering.
"It's just a struggle for even a family of four such as us. Our paychecks aren't going up—just our electric bills."
Jennifer Comer, who manages the bills for her 81-year-old grandfather in Bridgeville, said the hikes have been overwhelming.
"We're getting up into the territory where the amount of the electric bill every month is creeping closer to what he pays for his mortgage."
For her grandfather, electricity isn’t just a utility—it’s a lifeline.
"He's on 24/7 oxygen. So he has to have the electric. The electric has to be there."
According to Delmarva Power, the bill increases are due to higher energy usage during the recent extreme cold.
"There is no excuse to say that usage has gone up—when we have a number of other energy suppliers throughout the state who have not gouged their customers."
In response to mounting concerns, Harris and other lawmakers have sent a letter to the Delaware Public Advocate, urging an investigation into the rate hikes.
"Districts throughout the state are really heavily feeling this. We need a clear answer as to why."
The letter calls for an explanation of the rising costs and asks whether steps can be taken to lower power bills in the near future. As residents wait for answers, many remain worried about how they will keep the lights on in the months ahead.