ANNAPOLIS, Md. — With energy bills rising, scrutiny is growing over spending by Baltimore Gas and Electric. A transmission project on the Baltimore Peninsula is now expected to cost 5 times its original estimate, drawing attention from Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, who is pushing for greater oversight of such projects.
The Senate President said the Public Service Commission has been left out of the approval process for certain infrastructure projects.
"The PSC has not had the ability to engage in this because of the federal approval process. It's been about it's estimated about $3 billion since 2007 worth of infrastructure projects that have gone through this separate approval," Ferguson said.
Senate President wants greater scrutiny for BGE projects as Baltimore Peninsula costs surges
BGE has received approval for the transmission project through a federal process. The company argues the project is necessary for reliability as energy needs grow in the area, adding that several factors, including inflation and site constraints, are driving up costs.
Ferguson's bill would allow for greater scrutiny from the Public Service Commission when approving such spending.
"In these specific cases, this $3 billion worth of infrastructure spending, the PSC didn't have a role, has not had a role, and so that's what we are trying to, to dig in to give them additional tools," Ferguson said.
I asked Ferguson whether he believes legislation coming out of the General Assembly will result in lower energy bills for residents.
"We're trying to find ways to decrease the amount people are paying to the highest degree that we can while also recognizing that... we can't flip a switch and just all of a sudden make everything cheaper," Ferguson said.
There are also efforts underway to ensure data centers cannot be built in areas where Baltimore City is subsidizing infrastructure based on future growth expectations.
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