SB 909 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act

This bill creates a new Integrated Resource Strategic Energy Planning Office within Maryland's Public Service Commission to develop long-term energy forecasts and study wholesale energy markets. The office will work with the Maryland Energy Administration to create energy models and require electric companies to submit integrated resource plans for future energy needs. Public service companies, including electricity and gas suppliers, will pay for the office's operations through an annual assessment billed by the Commission. The legislation also establishes procedures for stakeholder input and public proceedings to inform energy planning decisions.

Issues: ✓ Energy

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Vetoed

May 2025

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Vetoed May 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act → Enrolled - Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill transitioned from a Senate draft to its final enrolled version, incorporating specific formatting required for the Governor's signature and adding a new funding mechanism. The most significant substantive change is the expansion of the entity responsible for paying assessment fees to include 'THE STRATEGIC ENERGY PLANNING OFFICE,' ensuring this new office can cover its own operational costs through public service companies.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on energy resource planning, but the financial responsibility for the Integrated Resource Strategic Energy Planning Office has been explicitly defined within the funding structure.

FISCAL

Added 'THE STRATEGIC ENERGY PLANNING OFFICE' to the list of entities whose costs must be borne by public service companies, ensuring the new planning office is funded through the same assessment mechanism as the Commission and the Office of People's Counsel.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill header to include 'ENROLLED BILL' and added signature lines for the Governor and President, reflecting the bill's final passage and preparation for signing into law.

Inserted a new line regarding the bill's relation to 'Economic Matters' in the subtitle description, clarifying the legislative context.

Removed the original committee report status and specific Senate action dates, as these procedural markers are no longer relevant in the final enrolled text.

First - Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act → Third - Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to rename the Integrated Resource Planning Office to the Integrated Resource Strategic Energy Planning Office and expanded its scope to include wholesale energy markets, bulk power system risk analysis, stakeholder processes, and coordination with the Department of Transportation. The amendments also restructured how costs are assessed and collected from public service companies, adding detailed requirements for estimating and billing expenses to the Commission, the new Strategic Energy Planning Office, and the Office of People's Counsel.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from focusing solely on integrated resource planning to include wholesale energy markets, bulk power system risk reporting, stakeholder engagement, and interagency coordination with the Department of Transportation. The office name was changed to reflect this broader strategic mandate.

DEFINITION

The office name was changed from 'Integrated Resource Planning Office' to 'Integrated Resource Strategic Energy Planning Office' throughout the bill, reflecting an expanded strategic mandate.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added for the office to conduct wholesale energy markets and bulk power system risk reports, examine specific scenarios, conduct stakeholder processes, and coordinate with the Department of Transportation.

New provisions require the Commission to pay collected assessment funds into the Public Utility Regulation Fund to reimburse the state for expenses of the Commission and Office of People's Counsel.

FISCAL

Cost assessment procedures were expanded to include detailed estimates of compensation, benefits, and operational expenses for the Commission, the Strategic Energy Planning Office, and the Office of People's Counsel, with specific billing requirements for public service companies.

TECHNICAL

The bill's introduction section was updated to reflect the expanded scope of the office's responsibilities, including new studies and reporting requirements related to wholesale markets and bulk power systems.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 22, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 22, 2025

How they voted

42–3

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 46

Mar 22, 2025

D Democratic33

32 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican13

10 Yea 3 Nay

76% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 16, 2025

Vetoed

Vetoed by the Governor (Policy)

executive

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Enrolled

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

Senate Concurs House Amendments

upper

Apr 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 5, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion Special Order until 04/04 (Delegate Crosby) Adopted

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Rereferred to Economic Matters

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Referred Rules and Executive Nominations

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Laid Over (Senator Hester) Adopted

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 22, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (42-3-1)

senate

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors