Coalition calls for clean energy expansion amid Maryland’s rising utility costs 

By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com

Across the state of Maryland, energy bills have been soaring, straining households’ finances and putting some at risk of having their electricity cut off. The rising costs have been driven by a combination of forces, including higher wholesale electricity prices, increased demand from data centers and periods of extreme heat that have pushed electricity use higher.

For many Marylanders, the strain doesn’t end with a single high bill. Once customers fall behind, late balances can accumulate—making it even harder to catch up. 

That has been the reality for Tyrone Moore, a returned citizen living in Baltimore. He said his monthly BGE bill jumped from $400 to $1,700. 

“It’s kind of challenging waking up every day in the morning, worrying about if your lights are going to be turned off today,” said Moore. “As a senior, I might be in good health, but the stress of that could possibly cause you to have a heart attack or be ill.”

Moore said he’s exhausted all avenues trying to seek relief in affording his energy bills, but it hasn’t been enough. 

Testimonies like Moore’s were at the center of the launch of a new coalition, Bright Future Maryland, at Henderson-Hopkins Partnership School on July 8. The collective, which comprises ratepayer advocates, climate organizations and faith-based organizations, is advocating for the expansion of clean energy, increased accountability for utilities and data centers and investments in energy-efficient homes. 

“The Bright Future Maryland coalition, made up of groups working on clean energy, are coming together to ensure that every decision maker in Maryland understands the pathway to lower energy bills is through clean power,” said Ruth Ann Norton, president and CEO of Green and Healthy Home Initiative. 

Norton noted that current events, including the breakdown of peace talks between Iran and the U.S. and rising price of oil, make the need for alternative energy sources even greater. 

“By advancing clean energy, we’re improving health and lowering energy costs in housing in our most disadvantaged communities and our middle market communities,” said Norton. “Everyone benefits from clean energy.”

Djamilatou Bah, a Montgomery County, Md., resident, has also been burdened by growing electricity costs. At the top of the year, Bah said her Pepco bill for her 1500-square-foot townhome was $627, up from $558 the previous month. When she fell behind on payments, the utility tacked on a $470 security deposit. 

“When did utility companies become predatory? Enough is enough,” said Bah. “This has been a constant source of stress for me, my family and thousands of Marylanders.” 

Much of the frustration from ratepayers, like Bah, has derived from the massive profits that utilities are generating. Exelon, the parent company of major electric and gas utilities such as BGE and Pepco, reported roughly $2.8 billion in net income in 2025, up 11 percent from $2.46 billion in 2024. 

Meanwhile, BGE has proposed a rate increase that, if approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission, would raise the average residential customer’s bill by an estimated $8 per month beginning next year. 

Bah and the entire Bright Future Maryland coalition are calling on state and local leaders to take immediate action to address rising energy costs and pursue long-term clean power solutions that make energy more affordable for Maryland families. 

“How can a great state like Maryland allow this to continue when working families like mine have to struggle and lose sleep over making decisions like keeping lights on or having food on the table? It’s inadmissible,” said Bah. “Help families like mine—not just to survive, but finally be able to thrive in our future.”

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