Pepco is back in front of Maryland regulators, asking for another hike in delivery rates that would push monthly bills higher for customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The request lands while many households are still wrestling with sharp winter and supply-related spikes, and it has already triggered pushback from consumer advocates and local officials.
The filing, reported by DC News Now on Friday, has quickly become a flashpoint as public-comment hearings and regulatory deadlines approach this month. Community groups and county leaders are organizing residents to make their concerns heard before those hearings go on the record.
What Pepco Is Asking For
According to a news release from the Maryland Public Service Commission, the application seeks roughly $133 million in additional distribution revenue. The Baltimore Banner reports that Pepco says the money would cover hundreds of repair and maintenance projects, including substation upgrades and replacing underground cable, and that the company estimates an average residential increase of about $11.73 a month if the plan is approved.
Why Customers Are Angry
Maryland’s consumer advocate is not mincing words. The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel says the proposal would increase distribution rates about 23 percent on a weighted basis and is urging regulators to reject it. “Pepco’s proposal would further exacerbate the affordability crisis Marylanders are experiencing from rapidly increasing distribution rates,” Maryland People’s Counsel David Lapp said in Office of People’s Counsel materials. The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel has filed expert testimony challenging Pepco’s forecasts and profit assumptions.
How To Weigh In
The case is docketed as No. 9820, and the Public Service Commission’s online docket includes Pepco’s filing and the procedural schedule. The Maryland Public Service Commission has scheduled virtual public-comment hearings for April 14 and April 17 at 6 p.m., and the commission must issue a decision by Aug. 10. The Baltimore Banner notes that people who want to attend should email [email protected] by the listed deadlines to receive meeting links, and that the hearings will be recorded for later viewing. The outlet provides additional context on how to attend and submit comments.
What To Watch Next
State lawmakers are also moving ahead with energy-relief and oversight proposals, so the PSC’s ruling will arrive in the middle of political pressure to protect ratepayers while utilities argue that an aging grid needs major investment. Pepco has told other outlets it is “committed to working constructively with the Commission, stakeholders, and the public to reach an outcome that is fair, transparent, and in the best interest of customers,” according to reporting by The 51st. Recent legal battles over Pepco’s D.C. rates have already shown that regulators and courts are prepared to scrutinize how the company justifies new charges. D.C. judges zapped Pepco’s rate hike, as previously reported, in a ruling with significant implications for the regulatory process.
