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Maryland is considering trims to EmPOWER, its main energy-efficiency initiative, as officials look for ways to ease utility bills. Advocates say deeper cuts could prove costly, giving households brief bill relief now while driving up energy expenses later.
According to WYPR, EmPOWER helps residents access support for home energy audits, weatherization, and efficient appliances — benefits that could be reduced under the plans being weighed.
What's happening?
Earlier this year, Maryland lawmakers passed the Utility RELIEF Act, cutting EmPOWER's yearly climate target from 2.5% to 1.75% during 2027-2029, as WYPR reported.
They also approved moving $100 million to pay down EmPOWER's debt, which WYPR said is expected to cut ratepayer bills by about $12 a month for one year.
The Maryland Public Service Commission is now requiring utilities to file two compliance options by September: one based on a 30% EmPOWER reduction and another based on a 45% reduction. Regulators will determine the final cuts for the 2027-2029 cycle after holding public hearings.
Ruth Ann Norton, president and CEO of the nonprofit Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, said cuts of around 30% may be enough to satisfy the law's lower target. Still, she told WYPR that the reduction could ultimately reach about 40% because solar generation can now count for up to 20% of the emissions goal.
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Why does it matter?
EmPOWER does more than help the state hit pollution-reduction targets on paper — it also helps families lower energy use in their daily lives through upgrades that can make homes safer, healthier, and less expensive to operate.
That support can be especially important for lower-income households, which often spend a larger share of their income on utility costs and may not be able to afford weatherization or efficient appliances without assistance. If those investments are scaled back, progress toward a cleaner and more affordable energy system could slow across entire communities.
WYPR reported that an analysis from the State and Utility Policy Team at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that weaker EmPOWER goals could increase electricity costs by a net $592 million.
"Even though you might see bill savings initially, that's going to come at the cost of locked-in, higher energy costs in the future, as the grid has to procure more energy that would otherwise have been saved," report author Anna Johnson told WYPR in April.
What's being done?
For now, the Public Service Commission is still weighing its options. Baltimore Gas & Electric spokesperson Jane Ballentine said in a statement, as reported by WYPR, that BGE is reviewing the order and plans to submit both requested filings.
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"Energy efficiency helps families make their homes more comfortable, makes them affordable, it creates space on the grid, it improves health, and we are cutting back on those savings," Norton said.
She added, "They should look at the Utility RELIEF Act as the ceiling of where they should go."
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