BGE customers push back on proposed rate hike during public hearing

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers voiced concerns about rising utility bills and household expenses during a virtual public hearing Monday as the utility seeks approval for a $156 million annual rate increase.

The Maryland Public Service Commission held the first of three virtual hearings on BGE's proposal, which the utility says is needed to maintain its electrical system and continue providing safe, reliable service.

If approved as proposed, the increase would add an average of $8 a month to customers' electric bills.

The proposal is separate from another planned increase tied to Baltimore's conduit system, which would add a $9 monthly surcharge beginning in the new year.

Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen was among those who testified Monday night, urging the commission to consider the financial strain facing residents.

"Right now, too many Baltimoreans are struggling to keep the lights on, and they are fed up with BGE reaching deeper into their pockets each year," Cohen said.

Cohen said some residents are being forced to make difficult decisions to afford their utility bills. He cited resident Alice Wright, who he said had to turn off her heat to keep her oxygen tank running.

"Imagine having to choose between breathing and staying warm. That is an absolute disgrace," Cohen said.

Other residents who spoke with CBS Baltimore described similar struggles balancing utility costs with other household expenses.

"None of this is sustainable. I can't sustain what's happening over there in the grocery store. How can I sustain BGE?" one customer said.

Another resident said rising costs have forced them to carefully manage the temperature inside their home.

"Where do you expect us to get it from when you're charging us so much money and we basically keep it a temperature where our pets aren't going to be freezing," the resident said.

In a statement, BGE acknowledged the financial pressures customers are facing while defending its proposal.

"We know every dollar matters to families already struggling with higher costs in many areas of their lives," the company said.

BGE also warned that delaying necessary maintenance and infrastructure work could lead to more outages and higher costs in the future.

"We know every dollar matters to families already struggling with higher costs in many areas of their lives, which is why we dramatically scaled back our proposed investment strategy to include only the work we believe is necessary to keep the lights on for BGE customers," a BGE spokesperson said. "Deferring work for too long would have consequences including more outages and higher future costs. It's our responsibility to strike this difficult balance between keeping bills as low as possible and maintaining the electric system our customers depend on every day."

The next virtual public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4.

If residents want to submit comments, they can visit this website.