In short: In Dover, your street decides your utility. The City of Dover’s own utility charged homes about 15.52¢ per kWh in 2024 and Milford’s 15.17¢, while the Delaware Electric Cooperative averaged 14.22¢ and Delmarva Power 17.23¢. Dover takes solar applications in order because some parts of the city can only accept a limited amount of solar power.
This page covers Dover, Milford and the rest of Kent County. Statewide rules (uncapped net metering, the Green Energy Program, contractor licensing) are on our Delaware energy guide; here is what is different around the capital.
Dover at a glance
- City of Dover electric (city-owned): 15.52¢/kWh average for homes in 2024; 540 net-metered home solar systems. Dover does not report outage minutes to EIA.
- Delaware Electric Cooperative (member-owned, much of rural Kent County): 14.22¢/kWh; outages 96 minutes per customer with major events, 61 without; about 1.1 interruptions a year.
- City of Milford electric: 15.17¢/kWh; about 20 outage minutes per customer in 2024.
- Delmarva Power (parts of Kent County): 17.23¢/kWh; 127 minutes with major events, 68 without. The towns of Clayton and Smyrna also run their own utilities (EIA-861, 2024).
- Sun: about 4.07 kWh per square meter per day at Dover (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,190 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): Kent County’s overall risk is “Relatively Moderate”; cold waves and winter weather are “Relatively High”, with hurricanes, ice storms, strong wind, tornadoes and flooding “Relatively Moderate”.
- Public charging: 63 ports at 19 locations in Dover and 19 ports in Milford (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Prices are 2024 EIA-861 averages including fixed charges; the state average has risen since (18.48¢ in July 2026).
Your utility and what it means
- City of Dover: net metering with a bi-directional meter, which new residential solar customers pay for, up to $200. Systems may not produce more than 110% of your average use over two years, and home systems are capped at 25 kW. Applications are handled in the order received because some parts of Dover can only take a limited amount of solar. The city says it offers no solar incentive of its own right now (Dover solar page).
- Delaware Electric Cooperative: in some parts of its territory the co-op no longer accepts new solar that sends power back onto its lines, because local circuits are full; in other areas only “non-export” solar is allowed, meaning the panels power the home but send nothing to the grid. Check DEC’s map before you sign. DEC members now apply for solar grants through Energize Delaware, and DEC has a separate interconnection form for battery storage (DEC solar interconnections).
- DEC community solar: members can add $10 a month to their bill to support the co-op’s solar, with no contract. DEC notes it does not offset your energy use, so it is a green choice, not a saving (DEC community solar).
- Delmarva Power: Delmarva customers can buy supply from a licensed retail supplier and can put EV charging on Delmarva’s Plug-In Vehicle time-of-use rate (see our Wilmington page for details).
- Milford: Milford’s city website did not load when we checked; ask the city’s electric department about solar interconnection.
Backup power in Dover
Outages in the Dover area are usually short: Milford reported about 20 minutes per customer in 2024 and the co-op about an hour and a half including storms. Kent County’s real risks are cold waves and winter weather, both rated “Relatively High” by FEMA. Dover’s utility asks you to report outages to its System Operations line, 302-736-7086.
- In town: a portable power station or a small home battery covers most outages.
- Farms and rural homes on a well: a standby or portable generator with a transfer switch keeps water and heat going through a winter storm.
- 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 or interlock.
Use the battery backup calculator or the generator sizing calculator, and see our backup power guide and generator installation page.
Solar in Dover
A rough estimate: a 7 kW system at about 1,190 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,320 kWh a year. At the City of Dover’s 2024 average of 15.52¢ that is worth about $1,290 a year; on the co-op about $1,180, in Milford about $1,260 and on Delmarva about $1,430. Those values assume full net metering; if you are in a DEC area limited to non-export solar, size the system to what your home uses at the moment it is produced, which usually means a smaller system or a battery.
In the city, the order matters: the utility approves Part One of the interconnection application before you pull a building permit. Try the solar potential calculator, then read solar panel cost and solar installation.
Batteries
With full net metering a battery mostly buys backup. The exception is non-export solar on the co-op’s full circuits: there, a battery stores midday power the panels would otherwise waste, and DEC has its own battery storage interconnection form. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging
A labelled estimate at 30 kWh per 100 miles: about $4.66 per 100 miles on the City of Dover’s 2024 average (roughly $560 a year for 12,000 miles), $4.27 on the co-op and $5.17 on Delmarva. We found no EV rate or charger rebate at the city or the co-op; Delmarva customers can use its Plug-In Vehicle rate. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit installed by a licensed electrician and inspected. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Dover: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Dover: Planning and Inspections, City Hall, 15 Loockerman Plaza ((302) 736-7010, permitsandlicenses@dover.de.us), enforces the building, plumbing and mechanical codes with plan review and site inspections (Dover Planning and Inspections). Its residential guide allows up to 15 business days for permit review.
- Solar in the city: utility approval (Part One) first, then the building permit, then the inspection certificate with Part Two; do not switch the system on until the city says so.
- Doing your own wiring: Dover’s electric department notes that homeowners need a state electrical permit, issued at the Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Room 203 (302-739-4522) (Dover electric FAQ). For a charger, transfer switch or solar tie-in, a licensed electrician is the safer choice.
- Milford and rural Kent County: ask your city or Kent County for the building permit, and your utility for interconnection.
- Who does the work: a Delaware-licensed electrician (lookup on our state page), a licensed gas fitter for generator fuel lines, and HOA approval where needed.
Cities we cover
- Dover
- Milford
Get help
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Dover area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. See how it works.
Are you a licensed installer in Dover? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Dover energy FAQ
Who supplies my electricity in Dover?
Inside the city it is usually the City of Dover’s own utility; outside, it can be the Delaware Electric Cooperative or Delmarva Power, and Milford, Clayton and Smyrna have their own. Your bill names your utility, and its rules decide your solar options.
Why might I be told I cannot export solar power?
The Delaware Electric Cooperative says some of its circuits already carry so much solar that more exports could damage equipment. In those areas new export solar is closed, and in others only non-export systems are allowed. Dover’s city utility also limits how much solar some parts of the city can take.
What does the City of Dover charge for a solar meter?
For applications after October 13, 2022, residential customers pay up to $200 for the bi-directional meter. The city bills it after its inspection visit, installs the meter, and tells you when you may switch the system on.
Is the co-op’s $10 community solar the same as rooftop solar?
No. It is a $10 monthly add-on that supports the co-op’s solar, with no contract, but DEC says it does not offset your energy use. Rooftop solar lowers your bill; community solar here supports clean energy without savings.
Sources
Utility areas, prices, outages and home solar counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. City of Dover solar page, interconnection application (version of February 16, 2026), electric department FAQ and Planning and Inspections pages. Delaware Electric Cooperative solar interconnection and community solar pages. 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.