Ratepayer-focus in the ‘Energy Session’ missed the mark on several fronts   

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland General Assembly gaveled out its 2025 legislative session at midnight last night. While lawmakers advanced legislation on utility transparency and energy storage, the session brought mixed outcomes for clean energy policies. 

“While this session didn’t deliver on everything we hoped, battery storage and utility accountability were bright spots,” said Katie Mettle, Advanced Energy United Maryland Policy Lead. “Marylanders deserve bold, decisive leadership on clean energy, and this session didn’t deliver that across the board.” 

Among the bills that passed were: 

• The Utility Transparency and Accountability Act (HB 121 / SB 37) will require utilities to disclose how they vote at PJM, the regional grid operator. The final version of the bill received broad support and now awaits Governor Moore’s signature. 
• The Abundant Affordable Clean Energy (ACCE) Act (HB 398 / SB 316) included a new statewide goal for battery storage deployment—an important tool for improving grid reliability. Although this bill did not pass on its own, the battery storage language was incorporated into the session’s final legislative package. 
• The Ratepayer Protection Act (HB 419 / SB 988) aimed to protect Maryland gas customers from excessive utility bills. It also made it into the leadership package and now heads to the Governor’s desk. 

However, lawmakers missed several opportunities to lower ratepayer costs, lower peak demand on the grid, and improve the resilience of the grid. Neither a bill on Advanced Transmission Technologies (HB 829) nor the Affordable Grid Act (HB 1225 / SB 908) passed. Both bills would have lowered costs for Maryland ratepayers at a time when utility bills are skyrocketing.

In addition, the Maryland General Assembly made a significant misstep in creating an expedited process and a mandatory solicitation for dispatchable generation that included methane gas. This puzzling move risks locking Maryland into outdated, polluting technologies at a time when clean, affordable alternatives are readily available. 

“We have been very clear from the beginning that the state does not need new fossil fuel generation to meet our anticipated energy demand,” added Mettle. “We can meet demand with clean energy generation, storage, and the use of grid modernization technologies that reduce peak load. Clean energy is cheaper and more secure than fossil fuels, which experience price volatility and are vulnerable to natural disasters and geopolitical instability. We appreciate the steps forward this session, but Maryland can, and should, aim higher. As Maryland charts its energy future, United will continue ensuring clean energy remains a top priority in 2026 and beyond.”