The impact of higher electric costs on the state?s poor has the Maryland Energy Administration stepping up efforts to balance the scales.
“While the Public Service Commission deals with the issue of re-regulation or continuing deregulation, we are proposing to the governor a number of programs that we feel can help out,” said Walt Auburn, assistant director of MEA. “We have looking at offering different rates and rebates based on income levels to help those who pay out nearly all their salary in maintaining their utilities and increased funding tothe weatherization programs.”
Auburn said his agency has used a number of grants from the federal Department of Energy to help businesses become energy efficient and are looking at other states that have deregulated for programs that can be implemented in Maryland to help the state?s poor residents with their electric bills.
“My wish is that the state implement a program that would provide for a graduated bill rate for essential energy,” said Mary Ellen Vanni, executive director of the Maryland Fuel Fund. “Right now, everyone pays the same rate, and people with incomes of $13,000 a year can least afford to pay out 10 to 20 percent of their income for basic electricity.”
“BGE sets aside $5 million for low-income households to help them pay their energy bills, gas and electric,” said Don Dasher, director of community relations and outreach for BGE. But others feel that MEA must implement other strategies to address the need.
“We have proposed to MEA that they implement energy bonds that would help defray the costs of electricity for the state?s poor,” said John “Skip” Trimble, a consultant with South River Consulting. “Also a managed portfolio for low-income users would also keep costs down.”
“We need to have a public policy on energy,” said Vanni. “At present, the hardest hit are the poor, but soon it will begin to impact the middle class as well. [Energy] has got to be viewed as a public policy so that we can cast a national spotlight on it and work to ensure that people can maintain the essential energy they need.”
“We have a number of proposals that we will be looking at over the next year to see which would best serve Maryland residents,” said Auburn.
