BALTIMORE — Baltimore Gas & Electric is proposing to raise your bill over the next few years.
BGE says it wants to replace aging infrastructure and wants to raise customer rates over three years to pay for it. That plan has to get approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission first.
Hosted by the PSC, a small group jumped on a virtual call for public comment Wednesday night.
To share your thoughts at the upcoming August 23 hearing, you can sign up to comment publicly by sending an email to kimberly.schock@maryland.gov by noon on August 21, according to the Public Service Commission. You can also submit a written comment.
The PSC said it would also schedule another comment hearing 'at a later date.'
The energy provider says it needs to replace decades-old infrastructure, and it's in the public interest to do that. To pay for it, they say there'll be an average increase of five percent for residential electric and gas customers each of the three years they plan to raise rates: A monthly uptick of roughly $10 in each of the plan years.
"We're here today to say we are in opposition to the rate case," said Tammy Bresnahan, advocacy director for AARP Maryland, during the Wednesday public testimony, "or at least to ask you to use your good judgment."
"In a tight economy, and with rising inflation, older Marylanders across the state, many of whom are on fixed income, are struggling to make ends meet," Bresnahan added.
READ MORE: BGE seeks to increase annual customer rates by 5%
Last month, the Baltimore City Council passed a resolution to urge the PSC not to approve the rate increase.
BGE would take in a projected $600 million over three years from the increase, the state PSC said.
