Delivering “stop the rate hikes” petitions to BGE and the PSC

Today we joned Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, Delegate Elizabeth Embry, other local and state elected officials, the Metro Baltimore AFL-CIO, 1199 SEIU Healthcare Workers East, CCAN, Sierra Club Maryland, Interfaith Power and Light and others to deliver thousands of petitions to BGE and the Maryland Public Service Commission asking them to stop BGE’s 2026 rate increase and end multi year ratemaking. Maryland PIRG also called on the PSC to pause BGE’s gas piepline replacement work until the company can demonstrate the work is properly prioritizing safety and is cost effective, as required by the Ratepayer Protection Act.

As you’ll see from our video, BGE refused to accept the petitions, but the Public Service Commission was much more welcoming.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Maryland PIRG (@marylandpirg)

BGE’s gas and electric delivery rates have escalated to crisis levels, increasing at a rate that far outpaces inflation, while the utility rakes in record profits. When utility rates and profits skyrocket, but service doesn’t improve, or even provides less value for customers, something is very wrong and needs to be addressed.

Multi year ratemaking has reduced BGEs cost discipline and exacerbated an incentive to increase spending, driving up rates and profits without optimizing value.       

Speding on gas pipeline replacement and expansion has been a key driver in the rate increases. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed the Ratepayer Protection Act to ensure gas pipeline spending is cost effective and prioritizes safety.  And in June, the PSC issued an order to stop gas utilities from making current customers pay for new customers gas lines – a decision which will save Maryland gas customers nearly 1 billion dollars.

But we need the PSC to do more. BGEs billion dollar pipe replacement program has not been required to prioritize safety nor be cost effective, and despite that massive spending, gas leaks have increased, and the PSC is investigating BGE for mismanagement of their gas system safety inspection program. 

The PSC should immediately stop BGE from breaking ground on any new pipeline replacements until the company can demonstrate the program is in accordance with the Ratepayer Protection Act. BGE should, of course, continue to respond to urgent safety risks in accordance with state and federal law.

We need  the PSC to  use their authority to stop wasteful spending and stop the relentless rate hikes.