In short: Frederick County runs on Potomac Edison, whose Maryland homes paid about 13.83¢ per kWh in 2024, far below the BGE and Pepco areas. The trade-off is reliability: Potomac Edison customers averaged about 168 outage minutes, nearly all of them on ordinary days rather than big storms. FEMA’s top local risks are winter weather and lightning.
This page covers Frederick and the surrounding county. Statewide rules (net metering until July 1, 2027 and its successor, the plug-in solar law, state rebates for solar and EV chargers, contractor licensing) are on our Maryland energy guide.
Frederick at a glance
- Potomac Edison (a FirstEnergy utility; nearly all of Frederick County): 13.83¢/kWh average for homes on Potomac Edison supply in 2024; outages 168 minutes per customer with major events and 159 without; about 1.1 interruptions a year (EIA-861).
- Thurmont Municipal Light (town-owned, about 2,900 customers): offers net metering (EIA); price and outage figures not reported in the detailed EIA files.
- Sun: about 3.98 kWh per square meter per day at Frederick (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,160 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): Frederick County’s overall risk is “Relatively Low”; winter weather and lightning are “Relatively High”, and heat waves, inland flooding, strong wind, hail, drought and tornadoes “Relatively Moderate”.
- Public charging: 142 ports at 36 locations in Frederick (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
- Home solar: Potomac Edison had about 8,050 net-metered home systems in Maryland at the end of 2024, and 336 of them were paired with a battery, the most of any Maryland utility (EIA).
Prices are 2024 EIA-861 averages including delivery and fixed charges; the statewide price has since risen (21.41¢ in July 2026). Outage figures are for all of Potomac Edison’s Maryland territory.
Your utility and what it means
Potomac Edison delivers the power; supply can come from Potomac Edison or a licensed retail supplier, though only about 6% of its Maryland homes had switched in 2024 (EIA). You can also buy your electricity supply from a licensed retail supplier instead of your utility; compare offers on the Public Service Commission’s MD Energy Choice site, and check your utility’s “price to compare” first. The PSC notes that since 2024 reforms some suppliers have stopped offering residential plans, so you may see fewer offers.
- Connecting solar: since June 23, 2025 Potomac Edison accepts interconnection applications only through its online portal. Home systems up to 20 kW with inverters are “Level 1”, with no application fee; larger ones pay $50 plus $1 per kW. You need a site plan and a one-line diagram showing panels, inverter and any battery (Potomac Edison Maryland interconnection).
- The meter: after approval to operate, Potomac Edison swaps in a two-way meter, which it says can take several weeks. You may run the system before that, but excess energy isn’t tracked or credited until the new meter is in.
- Plug-in solar: Potomac Edison posts its own notification form for portable (plug-in) solar, which Maryland law requires before installation.
- EV Driven: Potomac Edison’s Maryland EV program offers an EV-charger time-of-use rate and an EV managed-charging (smart charge) program for homes, plus company-owned chargers for some multifamily properties. Amounts aren’t posted on the main page; check the EV Driven Maryland page.
Backup power in Frederick
Potomac Edison’s 2024 record says something different from the rest of Maryland: 159 of its 168 outage minutes came outside major event days. So outages here are more often routine (a tree on a line, equipment trouble) than one big storm, and they come more often, about once a year per customer. Add FEMA’s “Relatively High” winter weather rating and homes on long rural lines have a real case for backup.
- In town: a portable power station or a home battery covers a typical two- to three-hour outage.
- Rural homes with a well pump: no power means no water. A standby generator on propane or natural gas, or a battery sized for the pump, is worth pricing.
- Safety: portable generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors, windows and vents, never in a garage (CPSC); carbon monoxide alarms on every level; a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician under a permit.
Size it with the battery backup calculator or the generator sizing calculator; see our backup power guide and generator installation.
Solar in Frederick
A rough estimate: a 7 kW system at about 1,160 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,130 kWh a year, worth about $1,120 at Potomac Edison’s 2024 average price. Lower prices mean a slower payback than in Baltimore or the Pepco area, so it matters to price quotes against your own bill and to connect while full retail net metering applies; after July 1, 2027 the successor program pays less (see our state page).
Larger lots make ground-mounted arrays possible here, out of the shade of the roof and trees. Try the solar potential calculator, then read solar panel cost and solar installation.
Batteries
Potomac Edison customers already lead Maryland in pairing batteries with solar: 336 battery-paired home systems at the end of 2024, the most of any Maryland utility. With frequent everyday outages, a battery here earns its place as backup, and Potomac Edison’s application asks you to show storage on the diagram. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging
A labelled estimate at 30 kWh per 100 miles: about $4.15 per 100 miles at Potomac Edison’s 2024 average, roughly $500 a year for 12,000 miles, well below the BGE, Pepco or Delmarva areas. The EV-charger time-of-use rate or managed charging can lower it further. Frederick has 142 public ports.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Frederick: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
A Level 2 charger needs an electrical permit and a licensed electrician; townhouse owners should check HOA rules. The state charger rebate is on our Maryland page. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Permits and inspections
- Frederick County: the Department of Permits and Inspections (30 North Market Street, Frederick) takes applications through its online citizen portal. Its Residential Rooftop Solar Panel Guide sets roof access pathways that must be marked on the roof plan, clearance around chimneys, and, on contiguous townhouse roofs, 18 inches clear on each side of the party wall. Ask for the current version of the guide.
- City of Frederick and Thurmont: ask the city or town whether it adds its own review.
- Who does the work: an MHIC-licensed contractor, a licensed electrician (lookups on our state page), a licensed gas fitter for generator gas or propane lines, and HOA approval where needed.
Cities we cover
- Frederick
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Frederick energy FAQ
Why is power cheaper in Frederick than in Baltimore?
Frederick County is served by Potomac Edison, whose Maryland homes paid about 13.83¢ per kWh in 2024, against about 17.91¢ for BGE and 20.08¢ for Pepco (EIA). Prices have risen statewide since, but the gap between utilities is the useful comparison.
Is solar still worth it on Potomac Edison’s lower rates?
It pays back more slowly. Our rough estimate for a 7 kW system is about $1,120 a year at 2024 prices. Full retail net metering runs until July 1, 2027; ask installers how timing affects your terms, and get quotes priced against your actual bill.
Does Potomac Edison charge to connect home solar?
Not for most homes: inverter-based systems up to 20 kW are Level 1 with no application fee. Larger systems pay $50 plus $1 per kW. Applications go through the online portal only.
Why are outages longer here than in the Pepco area?
In 2024 Potomac Edison averaged about 168 outage minutes in Maryland, against about 65 for Pepco (EIA). Nearly all of it came on ordinary days, which points to many smaller local outages rather than one big storm.
Sources
Utility areas, prices, supply shopping, outages, home solar and battery counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. Potomac Edison Maryland interconnection and EV Driven pages. Supplier choice: Maryland Public Service Commission and MD Energy Choice. Permits: Frederick County Department of Permits and Inspections (rooftop solar guide, archived copy). Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Charging ports: AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC. Checked October 3, 2026.