Bill Positions

Bill Number: SB 844

Bill Title: Public Service Commission - New Electric Generation Facilities - Rate Regulation and Contracts

Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Middleton

Subject: Environment & Energy

Committee: FIN

Bill Summary: This bill would have required the Public Service Commission to evaluate plans regarding generating needs. It would have required the Commission to approve a specified application only after a consideration of specified need, and state a goal to return to a regulated electric market. It would have required that new electric generation facilities be owned by electric companies or a consortium.

History: This bill passed the Senate, but received an unfavorable report by the Economic Matters Committee.

Chamber Position: Oppose

Position Summary: The Public Service Commission along with its expert analysts have studied the issue of reregulation and have recommended against it. Commission reports on the issue found that reregulation would be too costly to rate payers, risky and would result in legal problems. The Chamber respects the findings of the expert analysts that extensively studied the issue, and supports the competitive system currently in place. For these reasons, the Maryland Chamber opposed this bill.

Position Statement: Click here (pdf)

Chamber Staff: Allyson Black

General Assembly: Click here to view the bill on the Maryland General Assembly's website.