BALTIMORE — There is stiff resistance to ongoing efforts by BGE to replace gas regulators around some Baltimore neighborhoods.
On Thursday eight community associations throughout the City announced plans to file legal action, alleging illegal practices by BGE.
"BGE has extorted consent from customers by unlawfully threatening to disconnect and terminate gas service," said Thiru Vignarajah, a former City State's Attorney candidate who is representing impacted residents.
The dispute stems from a2021 lawrequiring new gas service regulators to be installed outside rather than inside a home.
BGE sought an extension to comply citing 100,000 homes that could be affected.
While BGE would not comment on pending litigation, they said many statements made by Vignarajah "are based on inaccurate information."
BGE also released this statement to WMAR-2 News.
"Unobstructed access to our gas equipment, including all piping up to the gas meter, is vital to maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure. Customers taking gas service authorize BGE to access, modify, and repair gas equipment under the terms of BGE’s Gas Service Tariff and are required to provide this access; if they fail to do so they may enter the gas service disconnection process. BGE does not want to discontinue gas service and we communicate with customers multiple times regarding the necessary work in order to avoid this outcome."
Vignarajah fired back on that interpretation of the gas service tariff, which essentially is a statewide contract between BGE and its customers.
"Nothing in Maryland regulations or the governing service agreement allows BGE to terminate service if a customer simply declines to give permission to BGE to undertake major new installations or to deface their home," he explained.
BGE says replacing its aging low-pressure gas infrastructure with a higher-pressure system provides more reliable and resilient natural gas service.
"This work cannot happen without the upgrade to or addition of gas regulators to maintain a safe level of pressure between the gas system and customers’ homes and appliances," said BGE. "Externally placed regulators are safer because in the event of an unintended gas release incident, gas vents directly into the atmosphere as opposed to building up inside a structure where it is susceptible to ignition that can have catastrophic results."
Neighbors, though, are expressing environmental concerns with the plan citing the State's goal to move on from fossil fuels.
In response BGE said it "supports the State’s ambitious net-zero emissions goals."
"Customers can choose to discontinue their gas service and electrify their homes and businesses, which would negate the need for internal or external regulators," BGE said.
Groups also accuse the utility company of using the project to charge customers more money.
"BGE has pivoted 180 degrees from vocally objecting to external gas regulators before the General Assembly to now insisting upon them, realizing they can use the unwanted infrastructure investments to add a profit-gouging surcharge to customer bills," stated Vignarajah.
So far the neighborhoods opposing BGE's work include Butcher’s Hill, Federal Hill, Fells Point, Mt. Vernon and Pigtown.
Ultimately the work by BGE falls under control of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Meanwhile the Office of People's Counsel, an independent state agency representing utility consumers, launched a petition for the commission to quickly regulate how gas companies operate in the future.
"Gas utility planning has not changed even though electric technologies—like electric heat pumps—are outperforming gas technologies and the State’s climate goals require the State to move off of fossil fuels. A Commission proceeding is necessary to ensure gas utility planning and practices are consistent with the public interest, Maryland climate policy, and the statutory requirement that rates utilities charge customers are just and reasonable."
