How EmPOWER Maryland Works (and How to Find Your Utility's Programs)

Published October 15, 2026 · Maryland Energy Rebates guides · Program details change; check current terms with your utility.

What EmPOWER Maryland is

EmPOWER Maryland is not a single rebate. It is the framework created by the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 that requires the state's largest utilities to run energy efficiency and conservation programs for the households and businesses they serve. The programs you see advertised as "BGE rebates", "Pepco rebates" or "Delmarva rebates" are each utility's EmPOWER portfolio: home energy check-ups, whole-home improvement programs, heating and cooling incentives, smart thermostat offers, appliance incentives and no-cost help for income-eligible households.

Two state bodies sit behind the utilities. The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) explains the law and tracks the programs, and the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) approves each utility's plans, sets the savings goals and reviews the results. According to the PSC, the original 2008 goal (a 15 percent reduction in per-capita electricity use and peak demand by 2015) was met statewide, and the 2017 update moved the program to an annual savings goal of 2 percent of gross energy sales.

Who pays for it

EmPOWER programs are funded through a charge on customer bills at the participating utilities. MEA lists the utilities that pay into EmPOWER as Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), Potomac Edison, Delmarva Power & Light, Pepco, Washington Gas Light and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO). Because you already pay into the program through your bill, it is worth checking what your own utility offers before any major home upgrade.

What changed in 2024 and 2025

Two recent laws reshaped the program, and they matter for anyone planning a heating or water-heating upgrade:

• House Bill 864 (2024) updated the EmPOWER Act and, per MEA, requires utilities to add new incentives that help Marylanders switch from fossil-fuel heating and appliances to efficient electric alternatives. The same law requires Choptank Electric Cooperative, which serves parts of the Eastern Shore, to begin offering energy efficiency programs.
• House Bill 1532 (2025) phased the program's greenhouse-gas reduction goals and, per MEA, removes EmPOWER incentives for natural gas equipment. In practice this is why many current utility offers focus on electric heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and weatherization rather than gas furnaces.

Read the summaries on the MEA EmPOWER page and confirm the current terms with your utility, because program rules are updated as each plan cycle is approved.

The programs most Maryland homeowners run into

Each utility designs its own portfolio, but the building blocks are similar across BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power:

• Quick Home Energy Check-up. A visit from a program contractor who looks at the home and may install low-cost measures such as efficient lighting, smart power strips or faucet aerators. This is usually the easiest starting point; our home energy audit guide explains what happens at the visit and when to book the full assessment instead.
• Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. A whole-home approach: an energy assessment first, then insulation, air sealing and related work by a participating contractor, with incentives tied to the approved scope.
• Heating and cooling (HVAC) incentives. Incentives for qualifying heat pumps, air conditioners and related equipment, generally installed by a participating contractor and meeting the utility's efficiency ratings.
• Smart thermostats and appliances. Incentives or instant discounts on qualifying models, sometimes through the utility's online marketplace.
• Income-eligible programs. No-cost or low-cost improvements for households that meet income limits. For low-income customers of EmPOWER utilities, MEA points to the Limited Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP) run by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Our Utility Programs page lists each utility's program pages, and the BGE vs Pepco vs Delmarva guide compares them side by side.

Step 1: identify your delivery utility

In Maryland's retail market you may buy electricity from a third-party supplier, but EmPOWER programs are run by the delivery utility, the company that owns the wires and sends the bill. Look at the top of your bill: BGE serves Baltimore City and much of Central Maryland; Pepco serves Montgomery and Prince George's counties; Delmarva Power serves the Eastern Shore; Potomac Edison serves Western Maryland and parts of the central counties; SMECO serves Southern Maryland. Several towns run their own electric utilities, and co-ops such as Choptank serve the rural Shore. The Utility Programs page has the full list with links.

Step 2: open your utility's residential program page

Go straight to the source: BGE Smart Energy, Pepco Maryland ways to save and Delmarva Power Maryland ways to save each have a residential page that lists current offers. Check three things on the specific program page: whether the offer is open, whether it needs a participating contractor or an assessment first, and the deadline or reservation rule if there is one.

Step 3: check the order of operations before you buy

This is where most people lose an incentive. Many programs require the assessment, the contractor reservation or the pre-approval before the work is done, and equipment bought on your own may not qualify. Ask the contractor to show you the program page the quote is based on, confirm the model numbers meet the utility's ratings, and keep every invoice and the AHRI certificate for the equipment. Our How to Apply page walks through the paperwork, and How to Qualify covers what programs look at.

What about federal and state rebates?

EmPOWER is separate from the federal programs people often ask about. The federal homeowner credits 25C and 25D are not available for new installations after December 31, 2025, and MEA reports that Maryland's federally funded HOMES and HEAR rebates have not launched: on September 30, 2026 MEA submitted updated applications for both programs to the U.S. Department of Energy. Track the status on the MEA Home Energy Rebates page and see our Programs overview for what is open, ended and pending.

Frequently asked questions

Is EmPOWER Maryland a government rebate I apply for?

No. EmPOWER is the state requirement; the programs are run and paid out by your utility (or its program contractor). You apply through the utility's program, not through a state office.

Can renters use EmPOWER programs?

Some offers, such as home energy check-ups and income-eligible programs, may be open to renters with the owner's consent. Equipment incentives usually go to the account holder who pays for the work. Check the eligibility section of the specific program.

Can I combine a utility incentive with other programs?

Sometimes, but stacking rules differ by program and by county. Confirm with the utility and the other administrator in writing before you count on both. See City and County Programs for local options.