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Press Releases

Media inquiries or requests to automatically receive all OPC Press Releases may be addressed to: lori.sears@maryland.gov

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Recent utility spending on electric system infrastructure not correlated to greater reliability or system resilience, OPC analysis shows (7/10/2025)

Data center proliferation underlies reliability and cost concerns, OPC tells federal regulators (7/9/2025)

PSC order on new gas system connections avoids hundreds of millions of dollars in rate hikes over ten years, OPC analysis shows (7/1/2025)

Department of Energy exceeded its authority by ordering power plant to stay open, OPC filing says (6/27/2025)

Statement from People’s Counsel on the Public Service Commission’s decision to revise new customer gas connection policies (6/13/2025)

Corrected: High temperatures and rising utility distribution rates likely to drive up electric bills this summer, new OPC consumer guide shows (6/9 initial; 6/12/2025 corrected version)

Proposed rules for future electric system investments risk imposing unnecessary costs on customers, OPC tells regulators (6/6/2025)

Regulators should reject Exelon utilities’ accounting maneuver that would deny refunds owed customers, OPC filing says (5/29/2025)

New protections for utility customers signed into law (5/20/2025)

Federal agency rejects rate proposal covering $3 billion of transmission projects, agreeing with OPC’s protest (5/15/2025)

OPC urges action, offers recommendations, to advance Future of Gas proceeding (5/6/2025)

Refunds and low penalty allow retail supplier to keep big profits after misleading customers and violating law (4/29/2025)

PJM proposal would unlawfully saddle Maryland customers with nearly $800 million for out-of-state data center growth, OPC tells federal regulators (4/28/2025)

Federal regulators should reduce the upcoming costs of PJM’s 2024 power market auction by $5 billion, says OPC complaint (4/14/2025)

April 2025

State regulators should deny Pepco’s proposed $30.6 million additional rate hike, OPC filing says (4/9/2025)

April 2025

Utilities’ proposed energy storage programs risk undermining competition from non-utility storage developers, OPC tells regulators (4/4/2025)

April 2025

Costs of utility electric vehicle proposals would burden utility customers, OPC tells regulators (4/1/2025)

April 2025

Federal agency should reject Constellation-Calpine merger proposal, OPC tells federal agency (3/28/2025)

March 2025

Federal agency should reject PJM’s proposed 'price floor' for capacity market, OPC filing says (3/20/2025)

March 2025

Proposed annual price tag for keeping power plants open is $83 million higher than lawful amount, OPC tells federal regulators (3/13/2025)

March 2025

Regulators should reject BGE’s $152 million addition to previous rate hike, OPC filing says (2/26/2025)

February 2025

Price tag of $720 million to keep Brandon Shores and Wagner power plants open imposes unreasonable costs on customers, OPC tells federal regulators (2/24/2025)

February 2025

Utility termination and collections rules must be enhanced to protect customers, OPC says in petition to state regulators (2/20/2025)

February 2025

Absent reform, growing gas bills will continue upward spiral, new OPC report finds (2/13/2025)

February 2025

PJM’s fixes to broken capacity market fall short, the Office of People’s Counsel tells federal regulators (1/13/2025)

January 2025

Costly local transmission projects that avoid competition are causing unlawful rates, OPC tells federal regulators (12/19/2024)

December 2024

Federal agency rejects proposal to give utilities more control over transmission planning, siding with OPC and others (12/9/2024)

December 2024

Regulators should reject Columbia Gas’s $85 million plan to expand gas program, OPC says (12/2/2024)

December 2024

Regional power market operator’s rules sideline available resources, imposing billions in unnecessary costs on consumers, Office of People’s Counsel says (11/18/2024)

November 2024

PJM capacity market flaws extend beyond current complaint proceeding, Maryland Office of People’s Counsel tells federal regulators (10/18/2024)

October 2024

Multi-year rate plans: A failed solution in search of a problem, People’s Counsel tells Public Service Commission (10/18/2024)

October 2024

Immediate reforms needed to protect customers from next generation capacity market auction, consumer advocates tell PJM (8/30/2024)

August 2024

Maryland customers face years of higher electricity rates from regional market problems, new OPC report shows (8/14/2024)

August 2024

PJM proposal would harm consumers by giving utilities greater control over electric transmission system planning, OPC tells federal agency (7/23/2024)

July 2024

OPC asks regional transmission operator to address inconsistencies and speculation in utility load forecasting (7/18/2024)

July 2024

Gas and electric delivery costs have skyrocketed for most Maryland utility customers, new OPC report shows (6/25/2024)

June 2024

Emergency order required to prevent utility shutoffs in extreme summer heat, OPC tells Maryland regulators (6/18/2024)

June 2024

Fossil fuel plant owner failed to justify $774 million in proposed costs, federal agency says in ruling on OPC protest (6/18/2024)

June 2024

In win for customers, State regulators reject Pepco plan for three years of rate increases (6/11/2024)

June 2024

Power plant owner seeks windfall from Maryland customers for continued operations, OPC tells federal agency (5/16/2024)

May 2024

Utility electric vehicle programs come at high cost for customers, OPC analysis shows (5/2/2024)

May 2024

Maryland Supreme Court order advances OPC case alleging gas utility deceived customers with green marketing (4/25/2024)

April 2024

People’s Counsel asks federal agency to reject NRG’s bid to force customers to pay for sunk coal plant investment (4/23/2024)

April 2024

State’s energy-efficiency programs generate big customer benefits but are undermined by legacy gas programs, new OPC analysis shows (4/16/2024)

April 2024

Federal agency should act to protect Delmarva customers from flawed power plant auction, says Maryland People’s Counsel (4/12/2024)

April 2024

Utility bill changes coming because of new cost recovery method for utility-administered efficiency programs (4/10/2024)

April 2024

Regulators grant OPC motion to remove Pepco ‘climate solutions’ electrification program from rate case (3/5/2024)

March 2024

In victory for consumers, Maryland Supreme Court concludes telephone sales law applies to retail supplier’s marketing scheme (2/23/2024)

February 2024

Transmission operator’s proposal to apportion costs for Virginia data centers violates law, Maryland Office of People’s Counsel tells federal agency (2/12/2024)

February 2024

Baltimore Gas & Electric rate case decision should be revisited, Office of People’s Counsel says (1/18/2024)

January 2024

Identities of retail energy suppliers selling to energy-assistance households should be public, OPC tells State agency (12/22/2023)

December 2023

Appellate court rules Public Service Commission should not have dismissed deceptive green marketing complaint against Washington Gas (12/21/2023)

December 2023

Pepco’s proposed rate hike unjustified, experts say in testimony for Office of People’s Counsel (12/19/2023)

December 2023

BGE rate case decision overall a disappointment for customers, according to Office of People’s Counsel preliminary analysis (12/15/2023)

December 2023

Washington Gas rate case decision gives company $10.1 million of $42.5 million requested rate increase (12/15/2023)

December 2023

Office of People’s Counsel responds to BGE’s arguments related to Baltimore City conduit agreement (12/7/2023)

December 2023

Pepco’s ‘climate solutions programs’ do not belong in rate case, People’s Counsel tells Public Service Commission (11/30/2023)

November 2023

Maryland utility customers vulnerable to regulatory gap in oversight of costly transmission projects, Office of People’s Counsel tells federal regulators (11/20/2023)

November 2023

Regulation of retail energy supply competition in dire need of reform, Office of People’s Counsel tells state regulators (11/8/2023)

November 2023

Projected customer costs for gas infrastructure increase 60 percent since last year, new Office of People’s Counsel analysis shows (11/6 initial; 11/13/2023 corrected version)

November 2023

Corporate Raider’s ‘Substantial Influence’ Over Potomac Edison Requires Regulatory Oversight, Office of People’s Counsel Tells Court (10/24/2023)

October 2023

State regulators cut Potomac Edison’s proposed rate hike nearly in half (10/19/2023)

October 2023

Utilities’ energy-efficiency program proposals lacking, OPC tells State regulators (10/18/2023)

October 2023

Federal agency should reject $780 million transmission proposal to address Maryland coal plant’s retirement, OPC protest asserts (9/14/2023)

September 2023

Columbia Gas’s proposed expansion of gas system replacement program should be rejected, OPC filing asserts (9/5/2023)

September 2023

BGE’s plan to pay for conduit costly for customers, OPC analysis shows (8/31/2023)

August 2023

BGE customer gas equipment program to cost, on average, at least $19,000 per house over lifetime, OPC analysis shows (8/30/2023)

August 2023

Washington Gas’s new five-year pipe replacement plan should be rejected, OPC tells Public Service Commission (8/29/2023)

August 2023

Washington Gas’s rates should be reduced, not increased by $49.4 million per year, OPC tells regulators (8/28/2023)

August 2023

Maryland Supreme Court Will Hear OPC’s Appeal of $8 Million Rate Increase (8/17/2023)

August 2023

Public Service Commission Grants People's Counsel Request to Strike Electrification Plan From Rate Case (8/10/2023)

August 2023

Columbia Gas’ Spending Raises Affordability, Stranded Cost Concerns, OPC Testimony Says (7/27/2023)

July 2023

BGE Gas Regulators Part of Decades-Long, $15 Billion BGE Spending Plan, OPC Customer Impact Brief Explains (7/12/2023)

July 2023

People’s Counsel Asks Appellate Court to Reverse 2022 Decision on Utility Green Marketing (7/6/2023)

July 2023

BGE Proposal to Electrify Homes Has No Place in BGE’s Rate Case, People’s Counsel Tells Public Service Commission (6/20/2023)

June 2023

BGE’s Rate Plan Would Lead to Massive Customer Rate Increases, OPC Consumer Guide Shows (6/20/2023)

June 2023

Potomac Edison’s Proposed Distribution Rate Hike of 42% Not Justified, OPC Testimony Says (6/16/2023)

June 2023

Commission Should Reverse Its Decision That Denies Procedures to Ensure Residential Customers Have a Voice, People’s Counsel Says (6/14/2023)

June 2023

Decision Closing Investigation Exposes Potomac Edison Customers to Untold Costs and Risks, People’s Counsel Says in Filing (6/5/2023)

June 2023

Proposed $357 Million Buyout Could Be Windfall for Coal Plant Owner, Deserves Robust Review, People’s Counsel Tells State Agency (5/24/2023)

May 2023

Energy-Savings Programs Need to Evolve to Meet Climate, Low-Income Needs, People’s Counsel Report Shows (5/5/2023)

May 2023

Federal guidelines necessary to protect consumers from greenwashing, People’s Counsel tells Federal Trade Commission (4/25/2023)

April 2023

People’s Counsel Applauds Public Service Commission Ruling on Energy-Efficiency Program Cost Recovery (4/19/2023)

April 2023

Customer Interests Undermined by Lack of Process at Public Service Commission, People’s Counsel Filing Says (4/13/2023)

April 2023

People’s Counsel: Commission order on retail supplier a mixed bag (2/23/2023)

February 2023

Industry analysis of gas heat pumps seriously flawed, People’s Counsel tells Public Service Commission (2/22/2023)

February 2023

People’s Counsel Asks State Regulators to Require Gas Utilities to Plan for Dropping Sales (2/9/2023)

February 2023

OPC urges immediate action to protect customers of marketing scheme (2/2/2023)

February 2023

People’s Counsel Urges Federal Agency to Remedy Unjust Potential Massive Rate Increase for Maryland’s Customers on the Delmarva Peninsula (1/20/2023)

January 2023

Gas utility’s proposal for “green” offering amounts to “greenwashing” that would deceive customers, says People’s Counsel (1/17/2023)

January 2023

Gas rates will rise to unsustainable levels as Maryland meets climate goals, new OPC report finds (11/17/2022)

November 2022

Business as Usual Means Gas Delivery Costs Will Skyrocket, OPC Analysis Finds (10/6/2022)

October 2022

Low-Income Marylanders at Risk From High Energy Burdens, OPC Report Shows (9/13/2022)

September 2022

Federal Agency Agrees With OPC That Delmarva Power Has Not Shown Lawfulness of Proposed Transmission Rate Increase of $13.9 Million (9/7/2022)

September 2022

State Regulators Erred by Allowing Washington Gas to 'Self-Certify' Green Marketing Campaign, People’s Counsel Tells Court (9/6/2022)

September 2022

Federal Agency’s Proposed Transmission Planning Beneficial, But Reduced Role for Competition Could Cost Customers Billions (8/17/2022)

August 2022

Delmarva Power’s Proposed New Rate Plan Unfair to Customers, Includes $91.7 Million in Unjustified Capital Spending, OPC Says (8/22/2022)

August 2022

People’s Counsel Applauds Rejection of Utility Request to End Pandemic Protections for Utility Customers (8/25/2022)

August 2022

Transparency and Oversight Needed on Federal Grants, Not Deference to Utilities, People’s Counsel Says (7/27/2022)

July 2022

People’s Counsel: Utilities’ Proposal to End Pandemic Protections for Residential Customers Should Be Rejected (6/21/2022)

June 2022

Siding with OPC, FERC Finds NRG Failed to Show $315 Million in Plant Costs Are Lawful (6/1/2022)

June 2022

People’s Counsel Asks Public Service Commission to Act Quickly to Protect Low-Income Customers From Retail Supplier Price Gouging (5/13/2022)

May 2022

Maryland People’s Counsel Protests NRG’s FERC Request to Foist Its Power Plant Costs on Utility Customers (5/6/2022)

May 2022

People's Counsel Seeks Transparency on Utility Efforts to Obtain Federal Infrastructure Funding (5/5/2022)

May 2022

Proposal to Integrate Distributed Energy Resources in Regional Market Flawed, OPC Tells Federal Agency (4/1/2022)

April 2022

Washington Gas Fined $1.1 Million for Customer Service Issues Following OPC Complaint (3/17/2022)

March 2022

Court Reverses PSC on Washington Gas Merger and Rate Issues, in Victory for OPC (3/8/2022)

March 2022

Following Bribery Scandal, OPC Investigation of FirstEnergy’s Ownership of Potomac Edison Reveals Customer Risks, Need for PSC Action (2/18/2022)

February 2022

OPC Calls on Maryland Public Service Commission to Address Exelon’s Regional Market Power (1/21/2022)

January 2022

Washington Gas’s five-year gas main replacement irreconcilably behind schedule and exceeding costs, OPC tells Public Service Commission (1/10/22)

January 2022

OPC Applauds Proceeding on Electric Distribution Planning, Cautions Against Deferring to Utilities (1/18/2022)

January 2022

Following OPC’s appeal to federal court, agency reverses course on regional electric market rules that would have cost consumers billions (12/28/21)

December 2021

Ruling on OPC Request, PSC Says Washington Gas Failed to Provide Adequate Customer Service, Violated Regulations and Merger Conditions (12/23/21)

December 2021

Electricity Retail Supplier Deceived Consumers, Unlawfully Enrolled Residential Customers, Court Says in Ruling on OPC Complaint (12/17/21)

December 2021

Federal Commission Agrees With OPC That Delmarva Power Failed to Show Control Center Plan Complies With Law (12/17/2021)

December 2021

In approving rate increases for Washington Gas, the Public Service Commission failed to meet its statutory responsibilities, OPC tells court (12/15/2021)

December 2021

To Green the Electric Transmission System, Federal Regulators Should Foster Competition, Reject Anti-Competitive Utility Proposals, OPC Says (11/30/2021)

November 2021

Office of People’s Counsel Files Complaint Against Washington Gas and Affiliate for Deceptive Green Marketing, Seeks $1 Million in Civil Penalties (11/23/2021)

November 2021

Agreeing with OPC, Public Service Commission denies Potomac Edison’s request for a $11.2 million rate increase (10/27/2021)

October 2021

In Response to OPC Request, Public Service Commission Orders Washington Gas to Address Customer-Service Issues and Proposed Civil Penalty (10/18/2021)

October 2021

Washington Gas Should Pay $1.5 Million in Penalties and Fix Customer Service Issues, OPC Tells PSC (9/30/2021)

September 2021

Columbia Gas’s proposed ninth rate increase in nine years driven by investor strategy and should be rejected, OPC says (10/5/2021)

October 2021

More Transparency Needed for the Millions That Customers Pay for Utility Trade Group Dues, OPC Tells Federal Agency (9/2/2021)

September 2021

Federal Regulators Rule for OPC in Dispute With Regional Power Pool Over Customer Costs (8/23/2021)

August 2021

Penalty Issued Against Retail Supplier in Case Brought by Office of People's Counsel (8/27/2021)

August 2021

Responding to OPC, Federal Agency Finds Pepco and BGE Failed to Demonstrate Proposed Rate Change Followed Law (8/4/2021)

August 2021

Responding to OPC Request, PSC Opens Investigation Into Potomac Edison’s Relationship With Scandal-Ridden FirstEnergy (7/26/2021)

July 2021

OPC Wins Partial Victory in Federal Appeals Court, Potentially Saving Utility Customers Millions of Dollars – (7/13/2021)

July 2021

Divided Public Service Commission Gives Pepco $52.2 Million Rate Increase Over Three Years (6/30/2021)

June 2021

Utility Customers to Receive $83 millions in much-needed energy assistance (6/15/2021)

June 2021

OPC Calls on PSC to Investigate FirstEnergy Scandal, Consider Divestiture (5/11/2021)

May 2021

OPC ASKS PSC to Revisit Decision on Role in Rate-Setting, Acquisitions (5/10/2021)

May 2021

OPC Asks PSC to Enforce Requiring Consumer Refunds (4/26/2021)

April 2021

OPC Climate Mitigation and Environment Bill sent to Governor Hogan (4/13/2021)

April 2021

David S. Lapp Sworn In as New People’s Counsel (4/8/2021)

April 2021

Office of People’s Counsel Wins Case With Big Implications For Maryland Retail Energy Market (4/1/2021)

April 2021

Maryland Office of People's Counsel Testifies That Bill Allowing Maryland Communities to Aggregate Customers Will Benefit Consumers and Environment (2/18/2021)

February 2021

Office of People’s Counsel Launches New Toolkit to Help Consumers Pay Energy Bills During Pandemic (1/20/2021)

January 2021