Pepco customers need love too!

The Maryland General Assembly is back in Annapolis for a Special Session. The focus has been on firing the PSC commissioners and on rate relief for BGE customers near Baltimore who might face a 72% increase. What about some help for Pepco customers who have seen equally large increases (albeit in stages)?

As reported by Ann Marimow and Matthew Mosk in today's Washington Post, there is much Maryland could learn from Pepco regulators in Washington DC. The plan is to match the way the DC handles power auctions to ease future rate increases.

What else could Maryland learn from Washington DC to better manage our public works and utilities?

The District seems way ahead in a number of areas. For example, many traffic signals in DC for years have used more efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED) rather than Edison era incandescent bulbs. Besides reduced maintenance and energy costs, LED traffic signals can be connected to a backup power supply so that they continue to work for several hours during power outages. But here in Maryland, the State Highway Administration is still using the old technology even on brand new traffic signals. A good example is the brand new signal on Connecticut Avenue just outside the beltway.

Pepco and Mirant make nice

As reported in the Washington Post, Pepco and Mirant have settled their their long running feud that began back in 2000 after Pepco sold all of their power generating plants to the Atlanta company. Now Pepco will own a chunk of Mirant and get some cash.

Maybe Pepco can use the money to make needed investments in their core business of reliably distributing electricity. Here in the Maryland suburbs, around mid-day there was no wind or rain, just heat. Pepco's network failed.

Across the great divide of Western Avenue

Today's Washington Post carries an article by Ann Marimow and Ray Rivera about the disparities in electric rates across the boundaries between Pepco, BGE, Allegheny and SMECO service territories. Same electrons, wildly different costs.

Schisler's List (of emails)

"A top utility company lobbyist in Annapolis and Maryland's chief utility regulator have exchanged scores of e-mails, shared strategy and together met with the governor's appointments secretary as regulators were preparing to make major staff changes."

The Washington Post recently covered additional email messages showing the relationship between Public Service Commission chair Ken Schisler and an industry lobbyist. The email messages were released as a result of a Maryland Public Information Act request.

Pepco's Relief Plan

This morning's Washington Post carries a story by Martin Weil about Pepco's plan (also includes Delmarva Power) to allow customers a more gradual transition to the 38% higher electricity rates that were scheduled to take effect in June.

The Post online carries an updated story from this afternoon. Pepco lobbyist Therese Yewell is quoted. Apparently customers will not be asked to pay interest for the relief plan. It is unclear how much this will cost Pepco.

A public service commission hearing is scheduled for 2pm tomorrow.

Martin O'Malley is scheduled to announce his energy plan tomorrow.

Duncan's solution to Maryland's deregulation mess

Hello Moco
reports on Tim Craig's article in today's Post. Mr. Duncan proposes to re-regulate the industry and challenges the other candidates to follow his lead and return campaign contributions from Constellation.

Pulling the Strings

According to weekend articles in the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post, there is a little known organization called PJM Interconnect that is largely responsible for setting rates on the newly deregulated electricity market in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey and other states.

www.pjm.com

Steak Dinners ala Pepco

The Washington Post today reports that Pepco and Mirant and their lobbyists have easy access to key Maryland lawmakers through lavish dinners.

Post article by Matthew Mosk


Senator Thomas M. Middleton
Delegate Dereck Davis
Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan and Silver

Delegate Richard Madaleno

Pepco
Mirant