New report shines light on gas utilities’ accelerated infrastructure spending

A new report released Monday by the Abell Foundation examines the the impact of Maryland’s 2013 law called the Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement Act (STRIDE), which enabled  gas utilities to accelerate gas infrastructure spending through a surcharge on customers’ energy bills.

The findings in the report, written by Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, reinforce concerns we have raised related to gas infrastructure spending by Maryland utilities generally, and Baltimore Gas and Electric’s proposed multi-year rate increase specifically.

The report also builds on research conducted by the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel on the impacts of STRIDE on energy customers.

Among the findings of the report are that there is no evidence the program is increasing safety and that the gas spending is exacerbating an affordability crisis and creating a huge risk of stranded costs.

It’s time for decision makers to rethink STRIDE and we hope the Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates gas utilities, will rein in out of control spending on new gas infrastructure and instead prioritize safety and a transition to clean, renewable energy.