Baltimore City Council
File #: 06-0171R    Version: 0 Name: Public Service Commission - Appeal of Electric Rate Increase Decision
Type: City Council Resolution Status: Adopted
File created: 5/1/2006 In control: City Council
On agenda: Final action: 5/1/2006
Enactment #:
Title: Public Service Commission - Appeal of Electric Rate Increase Decision FOR the purpose of requesting the City Solicitor to appeal the electric rate increase deferral plan approved in a closed door session by the Public Service Commission that will allow a 72% increase in electric rates to be phased in over an 18 month period.
Sponsors: Keiffer Mitchell, Kenneth Harris, President Young, Rochelle Spector, Mary Pat Clarke, Helen L. Holton, Agnes Welch, President Dixon, Edward Reisinger, Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Belinda Conaway, James B. Kraft, Robert Curran
Indexes: Energy, Energy Assistance Program
Attachments: 1. 06-0171R - 1st Reader.pdf
* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL 06-0171 R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmembers Mitchell, Harris, Young, Spector, Clarke, Holton, Welch

A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Public Service Commission - Appeal of Electric Rate Increase Decision

FOR the purpose of requesting the City Solicitor to appeal the electric rate increase deferral plan approved in a closed door session by the Public Service Commission that will allow a 72% increase in electric rates to be phased in over an 18 month period.
Body
Recitals

In a private, closed-door meeting convened after a contentious public hearing on Friday, April 28, 2006 the Public Service Commission approved, by a vote of 4 to 1, an unprecedented 72% increase in electric rate "deferral plan" that would spread the payments over an 18 month period and disallow a 5% interest charge.

The Public Service Commission ratification of the exorbitant increase imposed by the Florida-based parent company of the Constellation Energy Group and BGE, came despite long-ranging attempts of state elected officials to ameliorate the impact the electric rate increase on ratepayers.

Spreading the increase over an 18 month period and disallowing the 5% interest rate - that amounts to a cumulative reduction of a paltry $20 on the medium amount owed by rate payers who opt for the deferral plan - will do little to relieve the fiscal burden on the budgets of the average customer and break the budgets of the poor and those elderly and disabled on a fixed income.

The Public Service Commission is appointed to serve the public of the State of Maryland and as such ha...

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