Maryland's Chilly Surprise: Higher Energy Bills on the Horizon

Maryland is in for a rough patch with the weather, and it's not just about the snow and cold. The deep freeze is making people use more energy to stay warm, and that means bigger energy bills. The gas system is already seeing a lot of demand, and it's expected to keep going up. People are worried. Rob Groves, a pastor in Reisterstown, mentioned that his church's energy bill shot up to $1, 400 last month. He's concerned about what's next. Norma Schlein, a 72-year-old widow from Baltimore, is also stressed. She's living on a fixed income and might have to come out of retirement to cover her bills. So, what's making the bills go up? For electricity, every extra 500 kilowatt-hours used adds about $100 to the bill. For gas, every 5 therms used adds around $80. The main culprit here is the cost of supplying the energy. The regional grid operator, PJM, predicts that energy demand could hit a new high. They're expecting peak demand to exceed 130, 000 megawatts for seven straight days. That's a record they've never seen before.On top of that, the Maryland Public Service Commission approved a plan letting BGE recover about $77 million in spending. This means residents will see an extra charge on their bills starting in February 2026. The average electric customer will pay about 72 cents more each month, and the average gas customer will pay $1. 95 more. Pastor Groves has been hearing from community members who are struggling. Some are choosing between paying their mortgage, feeding their kids, or keeping the lights on. It's a tough situation, and he wishes there was more the church could do to help. This isn't a new problem. For the past year, residents have been complaining about rising energy bills. The main reason is the supply costs, which are set through a PJM process. There's also been criticism about utility rate increases and BGE's spending on infrastructure. While BGE says these projects are necessary, others argue that the utility is overspending.