The county executives of Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Howard counties joined Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley in supporting legislation that caps electric rates and ousts the current Public Service Commission.
Appearing before a joint hearing of state House and Senate committees, the executives said they represented more than half of the region?s BGE ratepayers ? 670,000 customers ? and that the commission violated its own rules and procedures in approving high rates.
“The PSC must be replaced,” said Baltimore County Executive James Smith. “We believe that it strains credulity” that the same people who approved a 72 percent rate increase in March implement the legislature?s plan to cap rates at 15 percent.
“The impact on Anne Arundel citizens has been dramatic,” County Executive Janet Owens said. “They know that rates are going to go up,” but “they have to believe the regulatory body operates in their interest.”
In response to questions from lawmakers, the executives also said they supported having the ability to bring local customers together to buy electricity at a discount, a process known as “aggregation.” The bill requires the newly appointed PSC to study implementation of aggregation for consumers.
Through aggregation by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Smith said local governments were “going to save about $10 million” this year. “I think aggregation shows long-term promise,” Owens said.
“Our County Council has passed a resolution to permit aggregation in Howard County,” County Exectutive James Robey said.
Del. Susan Krebs, R-Carroll, said it sounded as if the three were saying “this was all about process.”
“Tell me one thing that was not done that [the PSC] should have done,” she said.
Smith, a former Circuit Court judge, said a Baltimore judge determined that commissioners “violated the process. ? The public has got to have confidence that procedure was followed.” There was evidence that was offered that was not accepted, Smith said.
