Baltimore Gas and Electric CEO to leave role for leadership position at parent company Excelon
Carim Khouzami, CEO of Baltimore Gas and Electric, will leave his position to take a leadership position at Excelon, BGE's parent company.
The leadership changes come amid ongoing criticisms of the company.
BGE under fire over energy hikes
In recent months, Maryland leaders and ratepayers have called for a resolution to rising energy costs. Many BGE customers reported major increases in their energy bills, with some residents noting that their bills had doubled compared to the previous year. BGE stated that the increases stem from the need to improve aging infrastructure, increases in energy use—particularly due to cold weather, and the rising cost of the Empower Maryland efficiency program.
On Tuesday, the Maryland Public Service Commission released a report alleging that a former BGE employee did not conduct proper inspections of gas infrastructure work and submitted falsified records over four years.
According to the PSC's report, BGE did not provide a list of jobs affected by the falsified inspections nor performed targeted remediation or verification work on the pipeline segments in question.
Baltimore City Council calls for action
On Wednesday, Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen responded by calling for an oversight hearing, emphasizing concerns about resident safety and BGE's accountability.
"We are extremely concerned about the way our residents have been treated in the city of Baltimore," Cohen said Wednesday. "You can't sit there and tell me and the Baltimore City Council that your top priority is safety when we then hear you have an inspector who is not doing their job."
Cohen has been vocal in advocating for reduced energy costs. Last month, he joined other city council members in calling for a halt to BGE's planned 2026 rate increase.
Legislative efforts to tackle high energy costs
Earlier this month, lawmakers passed the Next Generation Energy Act, a bill aimed at reducing utility costs statewide. This legislation mandates specific spending on gas pipelines and directs the Public Service Commission to halt plans for multi-year rate increases that do not benefit customers. Furthermore, it prohibits utilities from charging ratepayers for certain expenses, including trade association memberships and private planes.
"Yesterday, members of the City Council sent a letter to BGE demanding answers about safety concerns," Cohen said in a statement Thursday. "Today, we learned that BGE's CEO Carim Khouzami will be leaving the utility for a role at Excelon. The Council's focus remains the same: we need real rate relief for our residents."
