Potomac residents who get electricity from Baltimore Gas and Electric face a potential $8-a-month increase under a rate proposal before Maryland regulators.

The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) is reviewing BGE's request for an additional $156.1 million in annual electric base-rate revenue, The Sentinel reported. BGE filed the application in July, saying the increase would help maintain its electrical system and continue providing safe, reliable service.

The PSC has scheduled three public hearings on the proposal under Case No. 9888, all beginning at 6:30 p.m.:

  • Monday, Oct. 26: virtual
  • Wednesday, Nov. 4: virtual
  • Wednesday, Nov. 18: in-person at the Frank O. Heintz Hearing Room, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore

The Nov. 18 hearing was originally planned as virtual but was changed to in-person after the Maryland Office of People's Counsel requested the switch, according to a PSC notice. Commission technical staff supported that request.

Residents who want to speak at a hearing must register by emailing Kimberly Schock, an administrative officer with the commission, at [email protected] by noon on the applicable deadline: Thursday, Oct. 22 for the Oct. 26 hearing, Nov. 2 for the Nov. 4 hearing and Nov. 16 for the Nov. 18 hearing.

The hearings will be streamed on the commission's YouTube channel, accessible through psc.maryland.gov. Written comments will be accepted through Dec. 23 via the PSC's Public Comment Dropbox at psc.maryland.gov or by mail to Andrew S. Johnston, executive secretary, at the William Donald Schaefer Tower. All comments must reference Case No. 9888.

Current rates will remain unchanged until the commission decides. A decision is expected in January 2027.

The rate request comes amid a pattern of utility companies seeking large increases in Maryland. The PSC cut Pepco's rate increase from more than $119 million to $50.9 million earlier this year, reducing the monthly impact for Montgomery and Prince George's counties ratepayers from about $10.24 to less than $4, Bethesda Magazine reported. The commission also reduced a Washington Gas request from $82.5 million to $38 million.

According to the Maryland Office of People's Counsel, the average BGE customer could pay about $100 more per year if the proposal is approved in full, Fox Baltimore reported. If approved, BGE's electric distribution rates would be 58% higher than in 2020 and 129% higher than when Exelon acquired BGE in 2012, the OPC reported.

Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen said BGE "is asking customers for $156 million more on top of what they're already paying, while the state's consumer advocate looked at the same numbers and concluded rates should go down."

Maryland PIRG Foundation, a consumer advocacy group, said roughly one in every four dollars of the proposed increase would go to increased company profits. BGE is also seeking to raise its profit rate from 9.5% to 10.4%, according to the group.

The next registration deadline is Nov. 2 for the Nov. 4 virtual hearing.