BGE relief fund provides $15 million in assistance to Maryland customers
Through its Customer Relief Fund, Baltimore Gas and Electric provided $15 million in financial assistance to customers in central Maryland this summer, the energy provider said Tuesday.
The company said 30,955 households across BGE's service area received direct financial assistance. Credits ranging between $250 and $750 were issued to customers.
The fund, announced in June, was announced in an effort to lower energy costs.
Latest efforts to reduce energy costs
The cost of energy to Marylanders has been rising since January, starting with an increase of the average residential gas bill by 9% and the electric bill by 7%.
Those increases were a part of the company's planned multi-year utility rate hikes.
But electricity costs to ratepayers rose again in June by $16, this time due to an unexpected spike in capacity auction prices and the Talen Energy reliability-must-run (RMR) fee.
Again on September 1, Marylander's saw an electricity bill increase due to a capacity auction run by PJM Interconnection, which operates the regional power grid.
Earlier this month, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced that $200 million is being distributed directly to residents from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, giving every Marylander two credits on their utility bills automatically.
