Maryland’s electricity costs have surged in recent years, and the blame lies squarely on the Democrat-led General Assembly and its unwavering allegiance to environmental advocacy groups. While Democrats claim they are championing a cleaner, greener future, their reckless policies are driving up energy prices for families and businesses, forcing the closure of reliable fossil fuel generation and pushing the state to the brink of rolling brownouts and blackouts. Instead of taking responsibility, they are shifting the blame onto utility companies like BGE and Pepco and grid operator PJM, misleading the public while their policies wreak havoc on Maryland’s energy grid.

The foundation of Maryland’s skyrocketing electricity costs can be traced to a series of legislative initiatives passed by Democrats in the General Assembly. These laws, often crafted in coordination with radical environmental groups such as the League of Conversation Voters, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Sierra Club, have forced utilities to spend billions on expensive mandates — costs that ultimately fall on ratepayers. Here are some of the policies established by state Democrat lawmakers that have driven up energy costs:

EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act (2008)

Marketed as a way to cut energy consumption, this program instead created an endless cycle of expensive efficiency upgrades, funded by surcharges on customer bills. While Democrats tout the program’s benefits, the reality is that it has forced utilities to make costly investments with little real savings for consumers. To make matters worse, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plans legislation passed last year changes how customers pay for this program and will triple the surcharge beginning in 2026.

Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (2004)

This law requires Maryland utilities to obtain an increasing percentage of their energy from expensive renewable sources like wind and solar. The state’s 2019 Clean Energy Jobs Act accelerated these mandates, driving up costs as utilities scramble to comply with unrealistic targets. In 2023, Maryland utilities spent $564,208,521 on renewable energy subsidies and fees to comply with the RPS goals, of which $320,363,538 amounts to an “energy tax” to fund environmental programs at the Maryland Energy Administration.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act (2009)

Through this act, amended twice since 2009, Democrats have made Maryland a leader in costly climate policies, requiring drastic reductions in emissions that are forcing the premature closure of reliable fossil fuel plants while failing to replace them with sufficient alternative sources.

Office of People’s Counsel Environmental Reform Act (2021)

The Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) was created to represent the interest of residential ratepayers in matters such as unfair sales practices and unreasonable rate increases presented before the Public Service Commission. Democrats expanded OPC’s role to serve as the “climate counsel” representing environmental interests of the state, including the state’s progress toward meeting its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. As a result, ratepayers no longer have an advocate in maintaining affordable rates if the matter conflicts with advancing the Democrats’ green energy agenda.

For decades, Maryland relied on a mix of energy sources, including coal, natural gas and nuclear, to keep electricity affordable and reliable. But under the relentless push of climate activists and Democratic lawmakers, the state has aggressively shut down fossil fuel plants with no viable replacement.

Just recently, environmental extremists forced the imminent closure of multiple coal-fired power plants, including Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner, which have provided crucial baseload generation. The closures were celebrated by environmental groups and their Democratic allies, yet they failed to address how the state would replace this lost capacity. Ultimately, PJM was forced to require these power plants to enter a Reliability Must Run (RMR) agreement to prevent immediate grid instability. Under an RMR agreement, these plants must continue operating, at a premium rate, to support grid stability. This situation exposes the dangerous contradiction in Maryland’s energy policy: While Democrats celebrate the closure of reliable generation, the grid cannot function without it, forcing emergency measures that ultimately increase costs for ratepayers.

Instead of taking responsibility for their policies, Maryland Democrats are engaged in a misinformation campaign, blaming utility companies like BGE and Pepco, as well as regional grid operator PJM, for the rising energy costs. This is a deliberate deflection from the true cause of the crisis: Maryland’s extreme environmental mandates and forced plant closures.

PJM, which manages the grid for multiple states, has repeatedly warned that Maryland’s rapid phase-out of fossil fuel generation is outpacing the ability to bring new, reliable sources of energy online. Yet, Democrats ignore these warnings, pushing policies that make the situation worse while accusing utilities of price gouging. The reality is that utilities must comply with state mandates, and the increased costs are a direct result of Democrat-imposed regulations.

The most alarming consequence of these misguided policies is Maryland’s growing risk of power shortages. With the forced closure of fossil fuel plants and an over-reliance on unreliable renewables, the state is teetering on the edge of an energy crisis. Rolling brownouts — where electricity is intentionally cut to certain areas to prevent total blackouts — are becoming more likely. And full-scale blackouts remain a real possibility, particularly during extreme weather events when demand is highest.

The only thing preventing immediate disaster is the construction of multiple transmission projects — funded by Maryland ratepayers — that will bring electricity from out-of-state sources. However, these projects take years to complete, and in the meantime, Maryland residents will be left paying higher rates for an increasingly unstable power supply.

Maryland’s rising electricity costs are not an accident — they are the direct result of Democratic policies and environmentalist influence over the General Assembly. Through costly mandates, forced fossil fuel plant closures, and reckless climate initiatives, they have driven up energy prices and undermined the reliability of the state’s grid. Rather than admitting their failure, they are scapegoating utility companies while ignoring the warning signs of an impending energy crisis. Until Maryland changes course, residents will continue to suffer from higher bills and the growing risk of blackouts. The time has come to hold lawmakers accountable before their radical agenda leaves Maryland in the dark.

Republican state Sen. Steve Hershey (steve.hershey@senate.state.md.us) represents Caroline, Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne’s counties. He is serving as the Senate minority leader.