BGE Seeks $9 Baltimore Monthly Surcharge

BGE has asked Maryland regulators to approve a plan to keep Baltimore City’s 84% increase in conduit fees from being spread across customers in surrounding counties. The utility says the increase could add nearly $50 million in costs and proposes instead a separate surcharge of about $9 a month for an average Baltimore City household, with higher charges for commercial customers. The Maryland Public Service Commission has not said when it will rule, and the proposal has drawn objections from city residents and a consumer advocate, who argue that city customers should not bear the cost alone and question BGE’s motives and regulation. Baltimore’s mayor and other city officials have also urged the commission to reject the plan.