Maryland Public Service Commission

The board discussed several items including the name change for an eligible telecommunications carrier and related public comment periods. They reviewed a joint notice of transfer of control for Dark Fiber and Infrastructure LLC and Summit Infrastructure Holdings LLC. The board accepted various tariff revisions for utility companies including Potomac Edison, BG&E, Pepco, and Delmarva Power and Light, with set effective dates for new rates. Additionally, they granted an extension for construction commencement deadlines for Transource Maryland LLC and Potomac Edison Company related to CPCN projects. Finally, the board approved the proposal by Columbia Gas of Maryland to discontinue its warm-wise low-income usage reduction program and redirect the unspent funds to the company's hardship fund.

The Public Service Commission held a semi-annual hearing to review the performance of utility companies regarding the EmPOWER Maryland program. Discussions centered on past portfolio performance, goal-setting strategies for the next three-year cycle (2027-2029), and the impact of legislative directives such as House Bill 1532 on rate affordability and greenhouse gas emission reduction standards. The hearing included reports from various utility providers detailing their energy efficiency programs, residential and commercial sector performance, and upcoming program modifications.

The hearing focused on the status of future programming work groups and the review of 2024 EM reports, including benefit-cost results based on the societal cost test. Stakeholders discussed challenges regarding documentation protocols for boutique programs, the need for timely verification reports, and changes to CNI lighting protocols within the technical reference manual. Additionally, the commission addressed the tension between climate goals, energy affordability concerns, and the implications of free ridership in program design.

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.