Delaware residents have seen higher electric bills this winter, which experts and lawmakers warn is only the beginning amid the First State's green-energy push.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, Delaware electric bills have jumped by hundreds of dollars in recent months, with some consumers seeing a 350% increase.
Washington, D.C., resident Leigh Rieley showed the outlet her recent electric bills for a fixer-upper she owns with her husband in their southeast Delaware hometown. The couple reportedly saw a month-over-month increase of 359% in January.
"We were very surprised to see it go from like $90 bucks to nearly $400 and, we're not in it — no one is using the house," she told the Free Beacon.
Rieley said her Delaware neighbors and family in the area have also received shockingly high bills recently.
Delaware Online reported that state resident Maria Cordona's January electric bill was more than $1,200.
The surprise price hikes come as Delaware, along with the rest of the Northeast, has shivered through several cold snaps and the state continues to implement its ambitious green-energy production mandates. Rules passed in 2021 mandate that 40% of Delaware power production be renewable by 2035.
Under the power production rules, Delmarva Power, the state's main utility company, must either import a large share of electricity produced using wind or solar or purchase green energy credits from neighboring states. The Free Beacon reported that Delmarva has shelled out $26 million in fines since the rules were put in place because the utility has not been able to obtain enough credits to satisfy the state's mandate.
"Based on Delaware law, we are required to meet the state's renewable energy requirements by incorporating a blend of renewable resources into the energy procured and passed along to customers," a Delmarva spokesman told the Free Beacon in a statement.
According to the outlet, the spokesman said the green-energy policies were having a minimal impact on consumers' bills and the colder than average temperatures were more to blame.
The contentious issue has reportedly spurred angry citizens to voice their concerns at packed town hall meetings and led to the creation of a petition against Delmarva and a 14,400-member strong "Delmarva Power Victims" Facebook group. It may ultimately force state lawmakers to revisit the renewable-energy policies.
"After meeting with stakeholders in the energy sector, it has become clear that Delaware's green energy mandates, including its participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, are a significant factor driving up costs," Delaware state GOP Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker and state GOP Rep. Bryan Shupe said in a statement last month.
"These policies, while well-intended, are having unintended consequences, forcing Delaware to import electricity at higher costs while discouraging traditional energy investments within our state," they continued. "Delawareans should not be forced to shoulder ever-increasing costs while our state government continues imposing mandates that make energy more expensive."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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