AARP Maryland Files Objection to BGE’s Multi-Year Rate Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Nancy Carr, 443-787-5382, ncarr@aarp.org

AARP Maryland Files Objection to BGE’s Multi-Year Rate Plan

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (August 8, 2023) — AARP Maryland has filed public comments with the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) in opposition to a request by Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) for a multi-year rate plan that would impose a series of substantial rate increases over three years, from 2024-2026, totaling approximately $600 million and increasing the average household utility bill by 5 percent per year.

“This request by BGE is unwarranted,” said AARP State Director Hank Greenberg. “The rate request is excessive and will hurt the most vulnerable who live month to month and must balance necessities like food, medicine and rent in addition to utilities. Working families already paying more for gas and groceries. The economy is still recovering, and the poor have suffered the most.”

“BGE has not made the case to support such an excessive increase,” Greenberg continued. “We urge the PSC to reject the increase and give the proposal more study before moving ahead.”

The AARP Maryland filing reads, in part:

“BGE’s application is based on speculative forecast costs and not on actual costs.”

“Asking ratepayers to ‘pre-pay’ for infrastructure improvements before those improvements are even completed is not good public policy. If the Commission grants BGE’s request – based on an inflated estimate, BGE would lack any incentive, or PSC oversight, to spend funds prudently.”

“The increase of $31 per month for essential services like gas and electric is inordinately excessive. Currently, Maryland’s 430,000 low-income families are $300 million underwater with their electric bills (according to Maryland Energy Advocates).”

“Increasing a monthly bill by more than $30 adds insult to injury and means Maryland’s low-income residents will become even more dependent on state and federal programs that currently can’t provide subsidies to all those that are in need.”

AARP Maryland Senior Director of Advocacy Tammy Bresnahan is commenting on behalf of AARP Maryland against the measure at an August 9 public hearing hosted by the PSC.

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