Advocates call for Baltimore to go electric at rally downtown

Gas, is for the past.

That was the message people wanted to send at a rally calling for Baltimore to go electric.

Groups gathered outside the Maryland Public Service Commission in downtown Baltimore to urge the transition from methane gas heating in homes to clean electric equipment.

"Gas rates have gone up at three times the rate of inflation for some utilities in the last decade. Which is why BG&E and Columbia gas customers have seen their gas delivery rates double in the last 10 years from about $500 a year to $1,000 every year," said Emily Scarr, Director at the Maryland PIRG Foundation.

Groups say the rate hikes particularly affect low-income families in affordable housing who don't have a choice what's in their home.

After the rally, people pushed their mission at a hearing in front of the Public Service Commission.

BGE released a statement in response to the rally:

More than 700,000 customers depend on BGE every day for safe and reliable natural gas service, and that number continues to grow each year. BGE has legal and regulatory obligations, at both the state and federal levels, to maintain its system while also making investments to enhance safety, reliability, and resiliency for customers. BGE is strongly supportive of the State of Maryland’s decarbonization goals, with initiatives underway to reduce emissions for our customers and our company operations. These efforts include enhancements to the EmPOWER Maryland programs to increase greenhouse gas emissions savings and promote electrification, support for distributed energy resources including renewable energy and batteries, and pilot programs for networked geothermal and decarbonized fuels that can contribute to the evolution of the gas business model.



Our commitment to maintaining and enhancing the gas system contributes to BGE’s goal of net-zero operations by 2050, and also aligns with our strong support for the state-level decarbonization goals. BGE's investments reduce overall emissions by eliminating leaks and help prepare the gas system for alternative fuels that will likely have a vital role in ensuring Maryland's energy transformation is achievable, affordable, and equitable--with the lowest risk. In addition, work toward an integrated energy system--robust electrification, with natural gas or alternative fuel backup for the coldest days--positions Maryland to achieve its emissions goals more quickly and affordably.



The exact path forward, though, is still undecided. Policy decisions ultimately reside with the Maryland General Assembly, which has yet to weigh in definitively on the long-term role of natural gas in our state. BGE will adhere to those policy decisions when they are made, and follow subsequent regulatory direction from the Maryland Public Service Commission.