Baltimore utility rate dispute

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) proposed a monthly surcharge of approximately $9 for Baltimore City customers to recover costs from a city decision to increase underground conduit franchise fees. BGE President and CEO Tamla Olivier described the 84 percent fee increase as a “money grab” that would cost the company roughly $50 million annually, noting a lack of transparency regarding how the city would use the revenue.

Baltimore city officials responded by formally opposing the surcharge through the Maryland Public Service Commission. Mayor Brandon Scott argued the surcharge would place an unfair burden on families, while city officials maintained the increased fees are necessary to modernize aging infrastructure. The dispute is compounded by a separate BGE request for a $156.1 million increase in electric base rates, which could add an additional $8 per month to residential bills. Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen warned that the combined impact of these proposals could increase annual utility costs for the average customer by roughly $200.