Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is an electric cooperative established in 1937 that is responsible for managing and maintaining the lines and wires that serve areas of southern Maryland. SMECO is one of the 15 largest electric cooperatives in the United States, delivering power to more than 160,000 members in southern Prince George’s County, Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary’s County. SMECO delivers power in a deregulated service area allowing members to shop and change electric suppliers for a lower supply rate. Depending on market conditions, members can save up to 20% by switching to a competitive rate.
- SMECO Customer Service Number: 1-888-440-3311
SMECO Power Outage
Members that change electric suppliers and experience a power outage will need to contact the electric cooperative. SMECO is responsible for making sure the lights stay on and will resolve any power outages that occur within its service area. Most power outages occur during bad weather or due to a down power line. If you see a down power line, stay away and contact SMECO immediately.
- SMECO Power Outage Number: 1-877-747-6326
SMECO Standard Offer Service
Along with delivering power to its members, the electric cooperative is required to provide supply services to members that decide not to change electric suppliers. The Standard Offer Service (SOS) is a default rate for supply services that can change through the year. The SOS can also be referred to as the price to compare. Members can use the price to compare to determine energy savings while shopping for an alternate electric supplier.
SMECO Renewable Energy
Members living in the service area may install solar panels or wind turbines on their homes or businesses. Power generation from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are considered by many to be cleaner forms of electricity generation compared to conventional methods such as oil and coal. Members who wish to install wind and solar on their property can interconnect the system with SMECO’s power grid. Installations are overseen by Maryland’s Public Service Commission.
Net Metering Program
If you’re interested in getting solar panels or wind turbines installed on your property, then you will need to sign up for SMECO’s net metering program. Members that generate more electricity than consumed will receive credits on the electric bill for the surplus of power generated. According to SMECO, the net metering program is currently available for solar, wind, fuel cell, biomass, closed-conduit hydro installations (generating less than two megawatts), and micro combined heat and power installations generating less than 30 kilowatts.
Save on Energy
Energy conservation can help reduce the energy bill and keep money in your pockets. Members looking to cut down on the amount of energy consumed may want to replace old household items with new energy-efficient products. Energy Star products can help reduce the amount of energy consumed in everyday appliances. Shop SMECOS’s online store to find a discount on Energy Star appliances. SMECO members can save $75 on selected smart thermostats for the home.
Maryland’s Energy Deregulation
Maryland joined a growing list of states that moved towards energy deregulation in the late 1990s. Thanks to the Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act, residents in Maryland have the option to select an alternate electric supplier other than the utility company. Before energy deregulation, the utility companies controlled all aspects of the energy market including generation, transmission, and delivery. Customers who were not happy with the electric rate had no other choice.
Thanks to energy choice, the responsibilities of the utility companies became unbundled, opening the door to outside energy suppliers to provide supply services to residents in Maryland. The supply service is the cost of generating the power the customer is estimated to use during a period. The main responsibility of the utility companies became to deliver power and maintain the lines and wires in their respective service area.
Compare Electric Suppliers
If you’re living in a deregulated service area, then take advantage of energy choice! SMECO members can save up to 20% during optimal market conditions. If you change electric suppliers, then you will still receive the same quality service from SMECO. The only thing that will change on the electric bill is the lower supply rate paid for power generation!