AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
Though pretty while it fell, last weekend’s snow turned to sleet and icy rain as an Arctic cold front dropped temperatures close to zero. Even after the storm stopped, the heavy crust of ice atop the snow showed no sign of melting and made digging out and clearing roads an extremely difficult task.
Equally, or more problematic, were below-normal temperatures that meant that, even for those with their thermostats set lower, the heat ran continuously. For many people, the latest bills issued January 13th were double what they were for the same period of time in 2025. People are gritting their teeth when considering what their next bill will be.
Michele Sabean, Director of Development for SPAN, Inc. which provides financial assistance to people whose gas and electric bills are overdue, says people are talking about it.
“We’re not being approached for assistance yet because BGE has not been turning people off,” Sabean said. “The BGE website states that ‘in accordance with a recent order from the Public Service Commission, all residential turn-off notices have been canceled, and customers will not be disconnected for non-payment from December 30, 2025, through February 28, 2026’. This will be an issue for us because bills are still increasing during this time when they are not doing turn off notices and for many the amount owed is increasing during this time. We anticipate we’ll be feeling the effects in the near future.”
Why, we are all wondering, are our gas and electric bills so high? In view of the fact that the price of oil is going down, high home energy costs have even been an important topic of discussion during the current session of the Maryland House of Delegates.
Some important clues could be found in a Fox 45 news article written by Gary Collins on August 15, 2024 titled “Marylanders brace for skyrocketing energy costs in 2025 as fossil fuel power plants close”.
“The region’s power grid operator (PJM Interconnection LLC) and local utility companies informed FOX45 News that Maryland is facing a trifecta of escalating problems contributing to a mounting statewide energy crisis,” Collins noted.
“Energy conglomerates said that rapid power plant closures, increasing energy demands, green energy policy priorities and an outdated power grid are driving up the cost and complexity of keeping the lights on.”
The FOX 45 investigation found that price increases began with Maryland’s deregulation policy dating back to 1999.
Before deregulation, utility companies “obtained, produced and delivered electricity to their customers within their designated service areas” ensuring that customers paid the actual cost of energy production. However, with deregulation, utility companies were required to sell their power plants. Suppliers like Baltimore Gas and Electric Company had to collaborate with electric grid operator PJM and the new power plant owners to whom they sold their infrastructure to deliver power to the same customers. When many of the new owners subsequently shut down their power generation operations, BGE was forced to work with PJM to import energy from surrounding states.
Since 2018, the closure of power plants has led to a decrease of 6,000 megawatts (MW) of generated power in the state. It was expected that Maryland’s energy production would decline even further in June 2025 when the Herbert A. Wagner, Brandon Shores and Vienna power plants were set to close.
Our own research determined that PJM and a broad coalition of the Maryland Public Service Commission, Maryland customers, and electric utilities, agreed on terms by which owner Talen Energy will operate its Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner power plants until May 31, 2029. Both plants are located in Anne Arundel County near Glen Burnie. As far as we could tell, while scheduled to close this month, the Vienna Generating Station on the Nanticoke River in Dorchester County is still operating.
Lest we forget, the Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center located in Lusby, Maryland is still in operation. Owned and operated by Constellation Energy, it is Maryland’s only nuclear power plant.
A recent article by Rico Ordona for a My Town column posted August 27, 2025 – Why Your BGE Bill Went Up — And What’s Behind The Rate Hikes – The BayNet – noted that BGE raised rates for customers in June in Baltimore City as well as Baltimore, Harford, Cecil, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s and Calvert counties. The price hikes effect both electricity and gas.
Ordona points out that BGE’s own press release, published in January of 2025, explained that the average monthly cost for a combined gas and electric customer would increase by $26.06 per month. The company attributed the price increases to causes ranging from increased delivery costs to supply reduction from the retirement of fossil fuel-powered generators and the Maryland General Assembly’s changes to the EmPOWER Maryland program.
The EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 created the EmPOWER Maryland program. The Act mandated that the five largest power companies in the state offer incentives to reduce greenhouse emissions and increase energy efficiency including free or discounted energy audits, weatherization, and efficient appliances. To fund these incentives, the companies are allowed to charge their customers a fee on electricity.
According to Ordona, for residents powered by BGE, this fee increased in January from $0.00899 to $0.01028 per kilowatt-hour, or $1.16 per month for the average customer.
BGE asserted that the fee increase stems from the General Assembly changing the program’s goal from reducing electricity use to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and a mandated accounting change in how BGE collects and disburses the program’s funds.
The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, a state agency that advocates for residential utility consumers and ensures that utilities are reliable and conform to Maryland’s environmental and climate goals, charges that BGE’s rates have risen above what would be reasonably expected to cover inflation, decreased supply and increased demand.
The Agency points out that there is a large unpaid balance for EmPOWER programs that is costing customers in interest. The General Assembly has reduced the interest rate on this balance and mandated that utilities begin paying down the principal balance to save consumers in the long run OPC maintains, but this does lead to higher costs for customers in the present.
The disagreement between BGE and OPC extends to more recent infrastructure projects such as the Baltimore Peninsula, revival project which began in 2016. Differing views on whether consumer bill increases relate to BGE’s investment in infrastructure to build-out the project bear on the rate increases Severna Park and other locales are seeing.
On December 19, 2025 Governor Wes Moore (whose penchant for Green Energy is well-known) signed an executive order focused on simplifying bureaucratic obstacles to attracting new power providers. In a December 19 press conference, Moore acknowledged that the executive order would not lower energy bills in the short term.
Moore’s order established an energy sub-Cabinet led by Maryland Energy Administration Director Kelly Speakes-Backman and a Maryland Energy Advisory Council made up of legislators, utilities, PJM and consumer advocates.
The utilities and environmental groups claim they are trying to improve the situation in Maryland but for rate-paying Severna Parkers and residents across the state, their words are cold comfort.
Quick Reminder: Save The Dates for Gallentine’s Day events
BD Provisions invites you to join them on February 12 from 6 to 8 pm for their Galentine’s Sip & Shop. They’re partnering with other local businesses for a really fun event.
Bohemian Black at 1915 Towne Center in Annapolis will host a Gallentine Experience on February 13 at 5:30 pm. Rose Walker fans know she’ll pull off the celebration with style. There will be mini styling sessions, a charm bar and beauty bar, fashions to shop and other fun things.
Stay tuned for a few more Gallentine’s Day events in next week’s column.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
Sharon, you again have provided a great article and public service. Thanks for your hard work to keep us informed.