In short: Southern Maryland is co-op country. SMECO, the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, serves all of Charles and St. Mary’s counties and shares Calvert with BGE; its homes paid about 14.84¢ per kWh in 2024 and lost about 146 minutes to outages. The sun is stronger here than in Baltimore, and FEMA rates the area’s overall risk low.
This page covers Waldorf and the rest of Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. Statewide rules (net metering until July 1, 2027 and its successor, the plug-in solar law, state rebates, contractor licensing) are on our Maryland energy guide.
Southern Maryland at a glance
- SMECO (all of Charles and St. Mary’s, part of Calvert and part of Prince George’s): 14.84¢/kWh average for homes on SMECO supply in 2024; outages 146 minutes per customer with major events and 114 without; about 1.3 interruptions a year (EIA-861).
- BGE (part of Calvert County): 17.91¢/kWh; 133 minutes with major events, 67 without.
- Sun: about 4.24 kWh per square meter per day at Waldorf (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020), more than Baltimore’s 4.04. Our rough estimate: about 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): Charles County’s overall risk is “Relatively Low”, with no hazard above “Relatively Moderate” (heat waves, strong wind, lightning, drought, winter weather). Calvert and St. Mary’s rate “Very Low” overall; hurricanes are their top hazard at “Relatively Moderate”.
- Public charging: 37 ports at 14 locations in Waldorf (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
- Home solar: SMECO had about 9,000 net-metered home systems at the end of 2024, and 198 of them had a battery (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 SMECO-wide.
Your utility and what it means
SMECO is a member-owned cooperative, but its territory is open to supplier choice like the big utilities: you can buy supply from a licensed retail supplier, though fewer than 2% of SMECO homes did 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.
- Solar on SMECO: net metering follows the state rules on our state page. Your installer applies to SMECO for interconnection before you switch the system on.
- EV owners: SMECO has advertised up to $120 a year for members who register their EV and charge at home through its program. We could not load SMECO’s site when we checked, so confirm current terms on SMECO’s electric vehicle page before you count on it.
- Calvert County BGE customers: BGE’s solar payout options, EV smart-charging credits and EV time-of-use rate are on our Baltimore page.
Backup power in Southern Maryland
A typical SMECO member lost about two and a half hours of power in 2024, across more than one interruption, and most of it came on ordinary days. The bigger storms here come off the water: FEMA lists hurricanes as the top hazard in Calvert and St. Mary’s. Many homes on larger lots also rely on a well pump.
- Townhouses and apartments in Waldorf: a portable power station keeps phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and the fridge running through a typical outage.
- Single-family homes: a home battery covers the usual two- to three-hour outage; for a well pump, sump pump or a multi-day storm, a standby generator on natural gas or propane 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 Southern Maryland
A rough estimate: a 7 kW system at about 1,240 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,670 kWh a year, worth about $1,290 at SMECO’s 2024 average price. Stronger sun partly makes up for SMECO’s lower prices compared with BGE or Pepco. Full retail net metering runs until July 1, 2027; the successor program after that pays less (see our state page).
Try the solar potential calculator, then read solar panel cost and solar installation.
Batteries
SMECO members already pair batteries with solar: 198 battery-paired home systems out of about 9,000 at the end of 2024; in Maryland only Potomac Edison reported more (EIA). With outages longer than in the Pepco area and the occasional tropical storm, a battery here is mainly backup. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging
A labelled estimate at 30 kWh per 100 miles: about $4.45 per 100 miles at SMECO’s 2024 average, roughly $530 a year for 12,000 miles. Public charging is thinner than closer to Washington (37 ports in Waldorf), so home charging matters more for daily driving.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Waldorf: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
A Level 2 charger needs an electrical permit and a licensed electrician. The state charger rebate is on our Maryland page. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Permits and inspections
- Charles County (Waldorf): the Department of Planning and Growth Management’s Division of Codes, Permits, and Inspection Services issues permits through an online self-service portal, with a permit guide that builds a checklist for your project.
- Electrical work in Charles County: the county has its own Board of Electrical Examiners and Supervisors. Homeowners may make minor repairs under a homeowner’s permit, but not panel or service work, so a charger, transfer switch or solar tie-in is a job for a licensed electrician.
- Calvert and St. Mary’s: permits come from your county’s permit office.
- 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
- Waldorf
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Southern Maryland energy FAQ
Can SMECO members choose another electricity supplier?
Yes. SMECO is on the Public Service Commission’s supplier-choice list, so members can buy supply from a licensed retail supplier while SMECO delivers it. Fewer than 2% did in 2024 (EIA). Compare offers on MD Energy Choice against SMECO’s price to compare.
Is solar worth it in Waldorf?
Sun here is stronger than in Baltimore, about 1,240 kWh per kW a year by our rough estimate, so a 7 kW system could offset about $1,290 a year at SMECO’s 2024 price. Full retail net metering runs until July 1, 2027; ask installers how timing affects your terms.
Do I need a generator in Southern Maryland?
Many homes don’t: SMECO outages averaged about 146 minutes in 2024. A battery or power station covers that. Homes with a well pump, medical equipment, or exposure to tropical storms on the water have a stronger case for a standby generator.
Can I install my own EV charger in Charles County?
Not the wiring. The county’s homeowner permit covers only minor repairs, not panel or service work, so a Level 2 charger needs a licensed electrician and a permit.
Sources
Utility areas, prices, supply shopping, outages, home solar and battery counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. SMECO electric vehicle page (archived 2025). Supplier choice: Maryland Public Service Commission and MD Energy Choice. Permits and electrical licensing: Charles County Department of Planning and Growth Management. 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.