BALTIMORE – Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky today issued the following statement on the agency’s recent filings before the Maryland Public Service Commission opposing proposed rate increases to cover natural gas pipeline replacement costs. 

“In both the pending Columbia Gas rate case and other recent cases like it around the state, the Maryland Energy Administration sees a troubling pattern. At a time when the state’s residents and elected leaders are voicing concern over steeply rising utility rates, utilities are still proposing to pass along the significant costs of replacing entire sections of safe, working natural gas pipelines to ratepayers without adequately considering less costly and equally safe alternatives. These proposed moves are tone-deaf to the substantial increases that ratepayers around the state are already being forced to absorb and run contrary to the state’s climate commitments. The Maryland Public Service Commission has before it an opportunity to send a lasting message to utilities that Maryland ratepayers should not be expected to bear the burden for costs that were not well justified and not proven to keep Marylanders any safer.” 

The Maryland Energy Administration promotes clean, affordable, reliable energy and energy-related greenhouse gas emission reductions to benefit Marylanders in a just and equitable manner. For more information about the agency and its programs, visit our website at Energy.Maryland.gov, and follow us on social media: LinkedIn | X | Facebook.