BGE Customers Frustrated As Utility Bills Continue To Soar
Customers Frustrated As Utility Bills Continue To Soar, BGE Responds
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If you’ve noticed your gas and electric bill shooting up this winter, you’re not alone. BGE customers are feeling the pinch, with some saying their bills have doubled compared to last year.
So, what’s going on?
Why Are Bills So High?
BGE spokesperson Nick Alexopulos says customers are using about 19% to 22% more energy than last year. “It was an especially cold January, and it takes a lot of energy to heat your home,” Alexopulos said.
But the weather isn’t the only reason for these higher bills.
CBS Baltimore reports that three major factors are driving up costs:
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Distribution Costs – This portion of your bill goes straight to BGE. As of Jan. 1, BGE raised gas rates by 9% and electric rates by 7%.
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Supply Costs—These are the actual costs of natural gas and electricity. In January, natural gas prices were 30% higher than the same time last year.
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State Fees – The state’s “Empower Maryland” program, which funds energy efficiency projects, has also contributed to the increase.
BGE says it’s trying to help customers by waiving late fees and pausing disconnections for unpaid bills. But for many Maryland and Baltimore lawmakers, that’s not enough. Baltimore’s City Council has introduced legislation to investigate these rising costs.
City Council President Zeke Cohen pointed out that last year, the council urged the Public Service Commission to reject BGE’s multi-year rate plan, arguing that customers shouldn’t have to pay for the company’s gas line replacement project. Despite opposition from city leaders, the PSC approved the rate hike.
“The city council stands with the people, not the shareholders of a monopoly utility making record profits,” Cohen said.
As frustrations rise, many Marylanders are wondering—how much higher will these bills go?
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Customers Frustrated As Utility Bills Continue To Soar, BGE Responds was originally published on rone92q.staging.go.ione.nyc