Members of Delaware Electric Cooperative in Kent and Sussex counties will see a rate increase due to rising natural gas prices.
In announcing the decision, the cooperative noted that natural gas prices have risen about 80% during the past year, with the board of directors agreeing to pass along the added cost to members.
The board of the cooperative based in Greenwood formally approved the rate increase.
“If the price of natural gas falls significantly, we’ll do our best to lower rates again, as we did in 2020 and in early 2021. Even with this increase, the price members pay for power is still significantly less than the average amount paid by other consumers across the state and our rates will still be among the lowest in the region,” a release stated.
The release cited rising overall costs that include fuel for line trucks.
Delaware Electric gets much of its electricity from natural gas. Delaware Electric is part of the Old Dominion co-op, which operates the massive Wildcat Point natural gas-fueled plant in Cecil County, MD, west of Newark.
The price of all fuels, including coal, have risen worldwide. Come social media commenters on Delaware Electric’s Facebook page placed the blame squarely on the Biden administration.
