A proposed rate hike request filed by Baltimore Gas and Electric has been put on hold — at least for now.
The Maryland Public Service Commission (MPSC) stated Monday that current rates for BGE customers are frozen and will remain unchanged until a decision is reached.
"During the Public Service Commission's evaluation of BGE's request, our focus will continue to be on delivering a decision that is both just and reasonable while safeguarding the affordability of vital electric services for ratepayers," stated Commission Chair Kumar Barve.
BGE filed the request last week with documents stating that Maryland electric bills would increase by an average of $100 annually, equating to approximately $8 per month if approved in full.
RELATED: Baltimore Gas and Electric seeks $8 monthly rate increase for Maryland customers
BGE officials said the rate case filing aligned with the company's reduced investment strategy, which focuses almost entirely on the most immediate risks to the electric system.
"Nothing matters more to our customers right now than affordability," said Tamla Olivier, president and CEO of BGE. "We heard clearly that customers are feeling pressure from rising costs across every aspect of their lives. That's why we delayed this filing, took a hard look at our plans, and reduced investments to only the bare-bones maintenance the system needs."
BGE says the filing focuses on maintaining the electric system, including preserving its reliability and substations, while introducing a new customer assistance program.
The utility company said that while it has reduced and delayed investments to help limit customer impacts, there is a clear trade-off to continued reductions.
"There is no scenario where we can stop maintaining the electric system altogether. We made deliberate decisions to postpone large bodies of work, future-focused projects, and replacement of aging equipment," Olivier said. "As the region's power needs grow and weather-related impacts become more frequent and severe, delaying essential maintenance for too long ultimately leads to more outages, longer restoration times, more emergency repairs, and higher costs for customers in the future."
BGE says the filing includes a FlexPay program that would allow eligible customers to prepay their anticipated energy use.
The MPSC says next steps will include working with the parties to set a procedural schedule for the rate case.
That schedule includes public comment hearings in BGE service territory and evidentiary hearings in the commission's offices in Baltimore.
Those proceedings will include parties representing BGE customers, such as the Office of the People's Counsel and the Public Service Commission's staff.
A decision on BGE's proposed rate hike filing is expected in January 2027.
