Each year SMECO publishes its Customer Rights and Responsibilities (PDF) booklet, in compliance with Maryland Public Service Commission Regulation COMAR 20.30.04.03
The Cooperative distributes a copy to each customer once each year
If you would like a copy, you can download it as a PDF document
If you want a copy mailed to you, call (888) 440-3311 or email SMECO
Our Service Commitment
SMECO makes every reasonable effort to provide continuous and uninterrupted service to our customer-members. We monitor service reliability using three indices established by the electric utility industry.
System Average Interruption Duration Index: SAIDI indicates the average number of hours each of SMECO’s more than 173,000 customers was without electric service during the calendar year. In 2022, the average SMECO customer experienced power outages for 1.94 hours, not including major storms.
System Average Interruption Frequency Index: SAIFI indicates the average number of times each customer experienced a sustained service interruption during the calendar year. In 2022, the average SMECO customer experienced 1.287 sustained service interruptions, not including major storms.
Customer Average Interruption Duration Index: CAIDI indicates the duration, in hours, of the average sustained electric service interruption during the calendar year for those customers who experienced an outage. In 2022, the average SMECO customer who experienced an outage was without power for 1.50 hours, not including major storms.
Landlord Agreement
When a landlord enters into a Landlord Agreement with SMECO and a tenant requests the electric service to be disconnected, SMECO automatically transfers the service into the landlord’s name.
- The landlord is responsible for the service application fee and charges for electricity beginning with the effective date given by the tenant
- If a Landlord Agreement is on file or noted with the Co-op, a $10 service fee is assessed if the service is transferred from the tenant into the name of the landlord, rather than the standard service application fee of $25
- If a tenant’s service is disconnected for nonpayment, the Landlord Agreement does not apply
- The landlord is responsible for notifying SMECO when a property is sold, in order to cancel the Landlord Agreement and related future billing responsibilities
- If SMECO is not notified, the landlord remains responsible for any and all usage incurred
- The Landlord Agreement will be cancelled if the landlord fails to pay balances due that are incurred while in the landlord’s name