Potomac Edison
Potomac Edison is a subsidiary of First Energy, which is a large energy company which serves over 6 million people from western Ohio to the Atlantic coast. Potomac Edison serves over a 250,000 in western Maryland, primarily in Allegheny County, Frederick County and Washington County. It also serves parts of Howard County, Montgomery County and Carroll County.
The MD electric choice program, which came about as a result of electric deregulation in MD in the late 1990s, made it possible for alternative MD electric suppliers to compete in the same territory as Potomac Edison. Today there are nearly 100 licensed alternative electric suppliers serving western Maryland. Here are the advantages these suppliers offer consumers:
- The opportunity to procure lower MD electric rates. The primary advantage of the MD electric choice program is that many MD electric suppliers flooding the markets create a very competitive market. Thus consumers may lower their monthly electric bill simply by taking a few minutes to compare rates.
- The opportunity to work with a “greener” energy supplier. Many alternative MD electric suppliers offer greener, renewable energy options. Consumers may wish to switch in order to do their part to help protect the environment.
- Continued delivery service from Potomac Edison. The MD electric choice program allows consumers to shop for a more competitive energy supplier. However, deregulation in MD did not change the utility companies' other core services: transmission and energy deliver (distribution). Thus Potomac Edison is still responsible for energy delivery, billing and maintenance issues.Bullet list 4
Many Potomac Edison customers also appreciate that switching is hassle-free. That's because once a consumer has compared MD electric rates and other options across various MD electric suppliers, it's just a matter of having the new supplier inform Potomac Edison. The switch is seamless and there are no service disruptions.