Posted on 03/18/26
| News Source: FOX45
Annapolis, MD - Mar. 18, 2026 - State lawmakers spent hours debating a massive energy package on Tuesday, which has been proposed in an attempt to lower costs for customers. The bill, which was first introduced late last week, passed in the House and will now head to the Senate.
The Utility RELIEF Act, unveiled by Governor Wes Moore and other top lawmakers, is estimated to save Marylanders at least $150 dollars annually in energy bill savings. The legislation, which is quickly speeding through the General Assembly, is a combination of ideas from numerous other bills, which were previously debated in committees.
"This bill will save money now and it will save money in the future," House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk said. "This bill is worth voting for because you can go home and say you did more. This is immediate, but it is also the future."
"Both parties on both sides are not happy. That is how you can tell a bill is good," she added.
"We've bet that we're going to get out of the energy crisis with wind and the solar, and that is foolish, and that's what's costing you money in the state of Maryland," House Minority Leader Delegate Jason Buckel said. "$12 bucks a month that's great, we're all going to support any kind of ratepayer relief we can, reasonably, but the cost of a Big Mac is not going to change when Maryland's energy prices have gone up almost 50% since 2020."
There are many provisions in the proposed legislation, which include funding for additional clean energy projects, requires utility companies to prioritize using advanced transmission and grid-enhancing technologies, gets rid of financial incentives for utility companies joining the PJM region, and makes major changes to the state's EmPower energy efficiency program.
"It rolls back the goal a little bit," Delegate Marc Korman, Chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said. "Instead of the goal going up next year, it's going to go down. It eliminates gas EmPower entirely."
This bill also makes changes to the large load tariff, lowering the threshold for which large customers fall into that category, making sure large customers like data centers help cover the cost. The bill also makes changes to multi-year rate plans, allowing reconciliation in the event ratepayers benefit.
Other provisions include limiting how much ratepayer money can be used to high salaries at utility companies, provisions requiring underground transmission lines to go through the state regulatory process, as well as changes to policies that have limited competition in the state.
"EmPower is the bulk of it. There are other policy changes that will lead to additional savings," Senate President Bill Ferguson said Friday.
"We can't put an exact dollar amount on that, so that's why we're saying at least $150 per year," he added.
With an estimated $150 annual savings, Republicans have been quick to push back on the legislation, arguing the cost savings doesn't go far enough.
"$12 a month. It's unacceptable. It is not enough," Del. Jesse Pippy said. "You heard it from the horse's mouth. $12 a month when the average Marylander is paying hundreds more."
During first House session Tuesday, Republicans proposed numerous amendments to this bill, which were not successful. Some of those amendments include withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative, eliminating EmPower entirely and putting a moratorium on data centers.