John J. Clementson

The Commission addressed several agenda items, including requests for operational deadline extensions for solar projects by George Washington LLC and Krum Road Solar LLC. The Commission also approved annual license renewals for Direct Energy Services LLC and accepted revised tariff pages for the Potomac Edison Company and Baltimore Gas and Electric, involving adjustments to residential delivery, time-of-use electric tariffs, and comprehensive and self-balancing service prices for daily metered customers.

The hearing addressed the requirement for the installation of a disconnect device on municipally owned streetlights. Testimony was provided regarding the lack of a mandate for such devices in the National Electric Safety Code, the technical challenges and potential failure points of the device, and the cost implications for municipalities. Proponents of municipal ownership argued that they are capable of performing safe maintenance on energized lines and that the disconnect switch is not a best practice. A representative from Washington Grove also expressed concerns about the challenges faced in achieving equitable municipal streetlight ownership due to additional fee structures.

The prehearing conference focused on establishing a procedural schedule for the Transmission Storage matter. Key discussion topics included the alignment of the filing date for applicant's direct testimony, the inclusion of a virtual public comment hearing to consider multiple applications simultaneously to ensure a final order by the established deadline, and the status of any potential interventions.

The meeting included a consent agenda with several licensing and certification actions: granting natural gas and electricity supplier licenses to On-Site Partners LLC, approving the cancellation of electricity broker licenses for Power Management LLC and Advance Energy Partners LLC, and certifying multiple renewable energy facilities for Duke Energy Progress LLC. The commission also acknowledged a corporate name change for Yardi Systems, Inc., accepted tariff revisions for Pepco and Delmarva Power and Light, and approved various electric meter models for Eaton Corporation and Hagerstown Light Department. Additionally, the commission discussed a request for a mandatory waiver of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for transmission line construction projects in Calvert County related to a data center interconnection.

The commission held a public hearing regarding draft regulations that would modify how gas line extensions are paid for in the state of Maryland. Key discussion topics included the potential impact of these regulations on energy affordability, economic development, housing costs, and the state's climate goals. Stakeholders representing utilities, labor organizations, and chambers of commerce expressed concerns about the potential for discriminatory pricing, adverse effects on union labor, and the necessity of additional evidence before implementing such significant policy changes.