Washington Gas Light Company wants to collect an extra $82.5 million a year from Maryland customers, a move it says would bump the average residential bill by about 5.3 percent. Once previously approved STRIDE revenue is backed out, the new money Washington Gas is asking for comes to roughly $67.1 million. The request has set in motion a months-long regulatory process, including virtual public hearings, that could end with new rates kicking in as early as July 27.
What the company filed and the official timeline
On December 29, 2025, Washington Gas filed for an $82.5 million increase in annual base-rate revenues and proposed new tariffed rates with a July 27 effective date. The Maryland Public Service Commission responded by suspending the proposed tariff revisions for up to 180 days, starting January 28, 2026, to give time for discovery, testimony, and legal briefing. In its initial order, the commission notes that once STRIDE revenue already authorized is taken into account, the incremental ask is about $67.1 million, and that the redesigned rates would translate to roughly a 5.3 percent boost to the bill of an average residential customer, according to the Maryland Public Service Commission.
How to weigh in
For anyone who wants to sound off, the commission has lined up two virtual public comment hearings on March 24 and April 7, both starting at 6 p.m. People who plan to speak need to email [email protected] by noon on March 20 for the first hearing and by noon on April 3 for the second. The PSC will post recordings of those sessions on its YouTube channel, and written comments can be submitted through the commission's online public-comments portal. Old-school mail is still in play too: letters will be accepted through June 1 and should be sent to Andrew S. Johnston at the William Donald Schaefer Tower in Baltimore, as outlined by The Southern Maryland Chronicle.
Company's cost estimate and customer help
In briefings with local officials, Washington Gas estimated that its proposal would tack on about $7.87 per month to the bill of an average residential heating customer. The company also pointed to its payment arrangements, including installment plans of up to 12 months, and up to 24 months for customers who receive assistance. According to the utility, most of the requested increase is tied to work on its distribution and pipeline system, including STRIDE projects previously cleared by state regulators, and it highlighted company and community assistance programs meant to help customers handle any higher charges. Those figures and descriptions come from materials Washington Gas shared with county leaders, according to Montgomery County.
Why regulators are watching
The request lands just as Maryland is rolling out the Next Generation Energy Act, which took effect on June 1, 2025, and changes how certain utility costs and infrastructure projects can be recovered from customers. The law gives the PSC new tools and specific review criteria for long-term gas infrastructure spending. Advocacy groups and some commissioners have said that this framework will shape how the commission looks at Washington Gas's proposal and its long-range pipeline plans, according to the Maryland General Assembly.
Local reaction and regional context
Consumer advocates and several elected officials have pushed back on earlier Washington Gas rate hikes, warning that large pipeline replacement programs can hit low-income households hardest and arguing that any spending should be tightly focused. Coverage in The Washington Post has tracked protests and public unease around similar requests in the D.C. region and the pipeline replacement work that underpins them.
What to watch next
The PSC's suspension period gives commission staff, the Office of People's Counsel, intervenors, and Washington Gas time to exchange evidence and testimony. Evidentiary hearings are scheduled for May, and the commission has signaled that it expects to issue a decision by late July 2026. Filings in Case No. 9849, along with the public-comment recordings, will show how the arguments are unfolding and will ultimately shape whether, and by how much, customer bills change, according to the Maryland Public Service Commission.
