HB 1561 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to mandate investor-owned electric utilities to develop resource adequacy plans if the state faces insufficient power supply capacity or experiences severe price spikes in the PJM electricity market. The bill directs utilities to prioritize renewable energy investments in these plans and allows them to recover reasonable costs (including stranded investments) through regulated surcharges. It modifies how utilities can recover expenses for building power generation facilities and transmission infrastructure, ensuring cost recovery aligns with federal rate base approvals. This directly affects Maryland's major electric utilities (like Potomac Electric Power Company) and their ratepayers through potential cost adjustments.
HB 1494 modernizes Maryland's residential electricity and gas markets by allowing suppliers to offer time-of-use rates for terms longer than 12 months and combining electricity with green energy certificates in multi-year plans. It permits rates that exceed standard utility rates during peak times and exempts certain green power products from typical marketing and pricing rules. The bill requires the Public Service Commission to establish new rules for consolidated billing, cybersecurity, and fair interconnection of energy services. These changes directly affect residential customers choosing electricity/gas plans and suppliers offering those services, aiming to expand consumer options while adding new regulatory safeguards.
HB 940 exempts large commercial and industrial electricity customers (defined as those with at least 25 megawatts monthly demand and over 80% load factor) from needing a certificate of public convenience and necessity when using surplus interconnection capacity at existing grid points. It requires the Public Service Commission to create a new interconnection process with standard and expedited timelines, mandating that these customers provide 25% of their load through energy storage, carbon-free assets, or demand response. Customers meeting 100% of this requirement through specified methods and paying prevailing wages receive priority for load studies, interconnection, and permitting. The bill also establishes a Demand Response Program allowing large customers to contract for specific load management time slots, with fees collected from the interconnection process split between universal service and low-income energy efficiency programs.
HB 897 (the "Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026") requires electric companies operating high-voltage transmission lines (>69,000 volts) in Maryland to join regional transmission organizations. It mandates new application details for certain utility projects, creates a Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program within the Maryland Energy Administration, and redirects funds from the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund to provide refunds or credits to residential electricity customers. The bill also requires studies on siting transmission lines and battery storage systems within existing rights-of-way and sets deadlines for the Public Service Commission to review project certificates. These provisions directly affect electric utilities, the Public Service Commission, and residential electricity customers through cost adjustments.
HB 1525 would require Maryland to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) by January 1, 2027, ending the state's participation in a regional program that sets carbon emission limits for power plants. The bill eliminates a surcharge utilities used to recover costs for energy efficiency programs (EmPOWER), directly affecting how these programs are funded. It also limits the amount of electricity that can be purchased or credited under community solar programs. Maryland could rejoin RGGI if all other PJM Interconnection states become full members or if the state becomes a net electricity exporter.
HB 928 modifies Maryland's requirements for constructing transmission lines over 69,000 volts. It expands the types of transmission lines needing a "certificate of public convenience and necessity" (replacing the previous focus on overhead lines), and requires the Public Service Commission to consider ratepayer costs and environmental impacts when deciding whether to waive this requirement for certain projects. The bill also removes a prior rule that automatically waived certificate requirements for specific overhead lines. This directly affects electric companies, transmission developers, and the Public Service Commission in their approval processes for new or upgraded power lines.
HB 40 updates Maryland's regulations for overhead transmission lines over 69,000 volts. It redefines "qualified generator lead line" to include lines using advanced transmission technologies (like grid-enhancing software, high-performance conductors, or energy storage) that connect out-of-state renewable energy sources to Maryland's grid. The bill requires applicants for construction permits to include specific details in their applications, mandates the Public Service Commission to consider certain evidence before approving projects, and obligates line owners to submit regular reports to the Commission. These changes directly affect utility companies seeking to build or upgrade transmission infrastructure.
SB 386 (Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026) requires electric companies operating high-voltage transmission lines (over 69,000 volts) in Maryland to join a regional transmission organization. It mandates that applicants seeking permits for new transmission lines must include alternative proposals using advanced transmission technologies and compare their cost-effectiveness. The bill creates a new Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program within the Maryland Energy Administration and directs funds from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to provide refunds or credits to residential customers. These changes aim to modernize transmission infrastructure, promote technology adoption, and reduce costs for Maryland ratepayers.
SB 201 modifies Maryland's requirements for approving new overhead transmission lines over 69,000 volts. It requires applicants to include specific details in their applications and mandates the Public Service Commission to consider certain evidence before approving projects. The bill also adds new reporting obligations for owners/operators of existing transmission lines. It defines "advanced transmission technologies" to include grid-enhancing tools, high-performance conductors, and energy storage used for transmission. These changes directly affect electric companies planning or operating high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Maryland.
