In short: Coastal Delaware gets the strongest sun of Delaware’s three metros in NASA’s data, about 1,230 kWh per kW of panels a year by our estimate, but FEMA rates Sussex County’s coastal flooding and winter weather “Very High”. The Delaware Electric Cooperative (14.22¢ per kWh in 2024) has closed some circuits to new solar exports.
This page covers Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Georgetown and the rest of Sussex County. Statewide rules (net metering without a cap, the Green Energy Program, contractor licensing) are on our Delaware energy guide.
Coastal Delaware at a glance
- Delaware Electric Cooperative (member-owned, large parts of Sussex): 14.22¢/kWh average for homes in 2024; outages 96 minutes per customer with major events, 61 without; about 1.1 interruptions a year (EIA-861).
- Delmarva Power (other parts of Sussex): 17.23¢/kWh; 127 minutes with major events, 68 without.
- Lewes Board of Public Works (city-owned, Lewes): offers net metering to all customers; it files only EIA’s short form, so no price or outage figures are published there.
- Sun: about 4.20 kWh per square meter per day at Lewes and Georgetown (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,230 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): in Sussex County, coastal flooding and winter weather are “Very High”; hurricanes, cold waves, lightning and strong wind are “Relatively High”.
- Public charging: 37 ports in Rehoboth Beach, 36 in Lewes and 20 in Georgetown (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Prices are 2024 EIA-861 averages including fixed charges; Delaware’s average has risen since (18.48¢ in July 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Co-op and Delmarva lines both run through Sussex County, so neighbors can be on different utilities; your bill tells you which.
- Delaware Electric Cooperative: in some areas the co-op no longer accepts new solar that feeds power back onto its lines, because so much solar is already connected; in other areas it allows only “non-export” solar that powers the home without sending anything to the grid. Its map shows both, with approximate boundaries, and every application still needs study. Co-op members apply for solar grants through Energize Delaware, and DEC has a separate battery storage interconnection form (DEC solar interconnections).
- DEC community solar: $10 a month on your bill, no contract, supporting the co-op’s solar; DEC says it does not offset your use (DEC community solar).
- Lewes Board of Public Works: home systems up to 25 kW, sized to produce less than 108% of your average use over the last 24 months; the BPW will not approve an oversized system. A $200 application fee applies, and Part 1 needs equipment specification sheets, a PVWatts production estimate, a one-line diagram and an aerial view. A disconnect must sit next to the meter, and you may not run the system, even to test it, until Part 2 approval. Generators have their own application, and the installer schedules the disconnect with the BPW (Lewes BPW interconnection).
- Credits that carry over: the Lewes BPW notes that Delaware’s Senate Bill 175 requires utilities to carry excess kWh credits forward instead of letting them lapse at the end of the year, with billing systems updated by December 1, 2026. Ask your utility how it applies to your account.
- Delmarva Power: supply can be bought from a licensed retail supplier, and EV charging can go on Delmarva’s Plug-In Vehicle rate (details on our Wilmington page).
Backup power in Coastal Delaware
Day-to-day outages are modest, about an hour to two a year on either utility. The coast’s risks are storms and water: FEMA puts Sussex County in its top band for coastal flooding and winter weather, with hurricanes, strong wind and lightning close behind. Rehoboth Beach’s building inspector is also its flood management administrator, a reminder that where equipment sits matters as much as what you buy.
- Beach homes and rentals: a portable power station keeps phones, lights and a fridge going; anything permanent should sit above expected flood levels.
- Year-round homes inland: a standby generator on propane or natural gas, or a home battery with solar, covers multi-day storm outages; mount them above flood level.
- Safety: portable generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage (CPSC); carbon monoxide alarms on every level; a licensed electrician installs the transfer switch, and in Lewes the BPW must be told before a generator is connected.
Size it with the battery backup calculator or the generator sizing calculator; see our backup power guide and generator installation.
Solar in Coastal Delaware
A rough estimate: a 7 kW system at about 1,230 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,590 kWh a year. At the co-op’s 2024 average of 14.22¢ that is worth about $1,220 a year; on Delmarva, at 17.23¢, about $1,480. Those figures assume you can export under net metering. In a co-op area limited to non-export solar, the system can only offset what the home uses as the sun shines, so a smaller array or a battery makes more sense.
Salt air and storms are hard on equipment: ask installers about corrosion-rated racking and wind ratings for your roof. Try the solar potential calculator, then read solar panel cost and solar installation.
Batteries
Batteries earn their place here in two cases: as storm backup for a year-round home, and with non-export solar on the co-op’s full circuits, where stored midday power would otherwise go unused. The co-op and the Lewes BPW both require an interconnection application for storage. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging
A labelled estimate at 30 kWh per 100 miles: about $4.27 per 100 miles on the co-op’s 2024 average (roughly $510 a year for 12,000 miles) and $5.17 on Delmarva. We found no co-op EV rate or charger rebate. Beach towns have more public ports than their size suggests: 37 in Rehoboth Beach and 36 in Lewes. A Level 2 charger at home needs a licensed electrician and an inspection. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Lewes: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Rehoboth Beach: Building and Licensing, 229 Rehoboth Avenue (302-227-6181, ext. 222), open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rehoboth Building and Licensing).
- Lewes: solar needs a City of Lewes building permit and business license (buildingpermits@ci.lewes.de.us) as well as BPW interconnection approval; Part 2 requires proof of an electrical inspection.
- Georgetown and unincorporated Sussex County: permits come from the town or from Sussex County; the county’s website blocked our checks, so call before you plan.
- Who does the work: a Delaware-licensed electrician (lookup on our state page), a licensed gas fitter for propane lines, and HOA approval in many beach communities.
Cities we cover
- Georgetown
- Lewes
- Rehoboth Beach
Get help
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Coastal Delaware energy FAQ
Can I still add solar on the Delaware Electric Cooperative?
It depends on your circuit. DEC’s map marks areas where new export solar is closed and areas limited to non-export systems; elsewhere normal net metering applies. Boundaries are approximate and each application is studied, so ask DEC (855-332-9090) before you sign a contract.
How big a solar system will Lewes allow?
Up to 25 kW for a home, and production must be under 108% of your average use over the last two years. New homes without a usage history need an estimate based on fixtures and occupancy. The BPW charges a $200 application fee.
What is the biggest energy risk at the beach?
Flooding and storms. FEMA rates Sussex County’s coastal flooding risk “Very High” and hurricanes “Relatively High”. Keep generators, batteries and inverters above expected flood levels and ask your town’s building office about floodplain rules before you install.
Do unused solar credits expire?
According to the Lewes BPW, Delaware’s Senate Bill 175 requires utilities to carry excess kWh credits into later billing periods rather than let them revert at year end, with billing systems updated by December 1, 2026. Confirm the details with your own utility.
Sources
Utility areas, prices, outages and home solar counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. Delaware Electric Cooperative solar interconnection and community solar pages. Lewes Board of Public Works interconnection and net metering page. City of Rehoboth Beach Building and Licensing. 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.