Delaware
Delawareans rage against high utility bills. Blame the weather
Role of green energy and the region’s power grid operator
While some blame the skyrocketing utility bills on fees associated with renewable energy programs, Vavala argues that both those fees and rising natural gas prices contribute to only a small fraction of a person’s bill.
While Delmarva paid almost $13 million into the state’s renewable energy portfolio last year, charges related to renewable compliance makeup around 3% of a customer’s bill, according to those reviewed by WHYY.
“Yes, there is a component of the bill that’s related to transmission costs and supply costs. Yes, there’s a component of the bill that’s related to green energy and programs to support that,” Vavala said. “But it is not the key driver in what we’ve seen in terms of this phenomenon occurring for our customers.”
Adding to confusion among ratepayers, Delmarva last November began to include a breakdown of delivery and supply charges on its bills.
Customers have always paid these charges, but they weren’t previously explained on their bills. Delaware residents said they were shocked to learn for the first time that these distribution fees account for more than half of their bill.
Though customers have always paid for delivery and supply, Delmarva bills indicate Delaware residents paid slightly more for the supply of gas in January, which had nothing to do with green energy, but rather cold temperatures.
“Weather does cause increased demand, and so supply-demand crunch, price goes up. So, the reason that people’s bills are going up so high is that, in part, they’re using more, and, in part, the price that is set by the wholesale market, which is also increasing,” said Shelley Welton, presidential distinguished professor of law and energy policy at Penn Carey Law and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.
The supply price increase for Delmarva customers in January shows a hike of about 1 cent per 100 cubic feet over December’s bills.
A spokesperson for Delmarva Power said it purchases about half of what it projects it will need in the summer when prices are low.
“Locking in prices, also known as hedging, seeks to limit the impact of wholesale price volatility that may occur throughout the year,” said spokesperson Zach Chizar. “We also continue to make upgrades to our Liquefied Natural Gas Plant in Wilmington, replacing and upgrading systems that give customers a more predictable gas cost rate so that we can secure more natural gas and avoid challenges during peak periods.”
Adding to the shocking cost could be that some January bills encompassed 36 days, rather than the typical 30 days.
One of Meyer’s proposals includes working to expand the state’s renewable energy portfolio.
“The more we get — solar, offshore wind, various alternatives — will help us expand the diversity of energy sources, increase the supply of sustainable energy sources, and in many cases, sources that are good for the environment for the long term,” he said.
Welton said decreasing reliance on natural gas could help control prices. States that rely heavily on natural gas are facing greater energy costs than in areas that use more renewable energy, she said. Like many, she points to the region’s power grid operator, PJM Interconnection.
“You have tons of new resources lined up asking to connect to the grid — and these are mostly clean energy resources. And if you’ve got these resources online, if you’ve got a lot more capacity in the region, you would see prices start to come down. But PJM has been very slow to help these resources connect to the grid,” Welton said.
While freezing temperatures and the resulting usage drove up utility bills in January, costs of electricity are also determined by a complex pricing system overseen by PJM and are expected to climb for Delawareans starting in July, regardless of the weather. That’s because of an increase in certain electricity generation fees, called capacity costs, that the grid operator announced last year. The move will impact 65 million residents in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions. In January, PJM agreed to a price cap after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sued.
Delmarva’s Vavala said it’s important PJM incentivizes and encourages all forms of generation — whether that’s renewables, nuclear or traditional forms of power such as natural gas. He also calls for improved transparency in the rate-making process and about investment portfolios.
Delaware
State Police Arrest Dover Man for Assault and Aggravated Menacing in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware
Date Posted: Saturday, April 18th, 2026
The Delaware State Police have arrested 45-year-old Joseph Chapler, from Dover, Delaware, following an assault and aggravated menacing incident that occurred Thursday night in Dover.
On April 16, 2026, at approximately 10:20 p.m., troopers responded to the parking lot of Microtel, located at 1703 East Lebanon Road in Dover for a report of an assault and aggravated menacing. When troopers arrived, they learned that a man and woman were walking on a path behind the Microtel when they were approached by an unknown male suspect. The suspect threatened the victims, pointed a gun at them, and sprayed the female victim with pepper spray before running away. The victims ran to safety and called 9-1-1. The female victim was treated by EMS but refused medical attention.
Through investigative means, detectives identified Joseph Chapler as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
On April 17th, Chapler was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $94,001 cash bond.
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Assault 2nd Degree (Felony) – 2 counts
- Aggravated Menacing (Felony) – 2 counts
- Terroristic Threatening – 2 counts
- Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.
Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training Commission recently announced that the Dewey Beach Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police Department have both earned state accreditation from the Delaware Police Accreditation Commission.
As part of the rigorous process, a team of DPAC assessors ensured all accreditation standards were met by completing comprehensive, on-site inspections of each agency, reviewing their policies and procedures for compliance, and conducting interviews with department members.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward for public safety in Delaware. The initial state accreditation of these police agencies reflects a strong commitment to professionalism, accountability and excellence in law enforcement. I commend each department for their dedication to serving their communities with integrity and for upholding the highest standards,” said Joshua Bushweller, Department of Safety and Homeland Security secretary and DPAC chair.
Dover, Del. – Three farms, one from each of Delaware’s counties, were inducted into the Century Farm Program by the state Department of Agriculture on Thursday at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Each of the family farms has been owned and operated for at least a century. Each received a sign for their farms, an engraved plate and legislative tributes.
In addition to Secretary of Agriculture, Don Clifton, and Deputy Secretary Jimmy Kroon, state Senators David Wilson (R – District 18) and Kyra Hoffner (D – District 14) were also in attendance.
Wright Family Farms are located in Harrington in Kent County. In 1919, the farm was purchased by William Wright. Over a century later, William’s grandson, Ronald, is the owner and his great-grandson, Greg, said he hopes to continue the family legacy by buying the farm from his father.
Although the event celebrated each family for their hard work and resilience, it also highlighted the challenges farmers have to surmount to stay in business today, let alone for a hundred years.
“The price of equipment, the price of fertilizer, the price of seed, everything is just gone up,” Greg said. “So, you know, everything’s going up that we gotta purchase just to stay in business.”
Clifton, Kroon and Wilson also echoed difficulties in balancing the need to preserve agricultural land with the need to develop housing and sustainable energy projects like solar power.
“I know housing is very important, and we want people to always have good housing, but at some point, I think you’re going to saturate the area with more houses than you have food to feed these people,” Wilson said.
Kroon also said there are difficulties in keeping future generations motivated to stay in farming.
“When you think about it in the context of multi-generational farm families, there’s a real long-term challenge where a new generation may think twice about whether they want to keep farming if it’s always a struggle,” he said.
Clifton said farming has always been a challenging way of life, but it has been so since time immemorial.
“These families, their experience shows that they have an appreciation for the way of life and perseverance and that’s to be honored and emulated to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Greg said he hopes to pass down the way of life so that his family legacy can live on for another hundred years, as well as for other families.
“A hundred years as the same family tilling the land, that’s, you know, that’s an honor right there,” Greg said. “And I hope that more farmers who are close to 100 years old will be doing the same thing. You know, keep it in the family.”
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