Public Citizen and ACORN, the same consumer activist groups that filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission alleging that Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.?s rate increase is not “just and reasonable,” have asked the Public Service Commission to stop Gov. Robert Ehrlich from privately negotiating with BGE.
The groups have requested that until the details of the governor?s negotiations are “revealed to the public,” all hearings on BGE?s proposed merger with Florida Power and Light be “suspended.”
“The ongoing private negotiations between the governor’s office and Constellation Energy are violating our rights to due process,” said Tyson Slocum, acting director of Public Citizen.
The motion, filed Wednesday with the Public Service Commission on behalf of Public Citizen, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, and four other activist groups, asks the agency that regulates the state?s consumer utility rates to suspend the hearings because Ehrlich has met with BGE privately “three or four times.” According to the Slocum, the governor?s talks with BGE will make it difficult for his group to represent consumers at hearings regarding Constellation Energy?s proposed merger with Florida Power and Light.
“If we ask company officials during the hearing about anything financial, they can just say we can?t comment, because we?re talking to the governor,” Slocum said.
The proposed merger of Constellation Energy, the parent company of BGE, and FPL has been controversial. Critics have questioned large pay-outs to Constellation executives, including Constellation CEO Mayo Shattuck who could receive nearly $90 million if the merger is approved.
According to Mitch Klein from ACORN, the higher rates that consumers face this summer may be worse if the merger is not scrutinized by consumer groups. “We don?t really understand a lot of the stuff about the merger. Ehrlich could make a deal, we won?t have time to respond,” Klein said.
But Ehrlich?s spokeswoman Shareese DeLeaver said the negotiations with Constellation will continue to be “private” and that the filing is a “distraction.”
“On the surface, this motion is about delaying progress,” she said. “The governor will continue to focus on solutions.”
