BGE is facing heat that goes beyond weather or rate hikes, as Baltimore City Councilmember Mark Conway (D – 4th District) issued a formal letter to the utility outlining concerns about alleged falsified pipeline inspections and serious oversight failures.
Conway, who is chair of the Baltimore City Council’s Public Safety Committee, called on BGE to answer eight questions about the allegations brought by former employees of the company, including what BGE has done to ensure the concerns are not systemwide. This move was prompted by a recent Public Service Commission report and a lawsuit filed by former employees. Allegations include falsifying records over a span of multiple years, failed internal safeguards, and retaliatory practices against whistleblowers.
“Baltimore residents are paying more for energy, but we’re seeing less accountability, less clarity, and potentially less safety,” Conway said. “That is not a formula we can accept. If BGE wants to be a partner in reform, then we welcome that. If not, then we have to consider alternatives that better serve the people of Baltimore.”
Conway asserted that when ratepayers are being asked to absorb the rate increases to support large-scale infrastructure investments, the increases must directly produce tangible public benefits. BGE’s justification for billions in spending has been safety concerns, but Conway challenged the legitimacy of that claim. He cited the Office of People’s Counsel data showing that delivery rates have tripled since 2010 because of these capital investments, yet federal data shows gas leaks doubling over the same period.
With new allegations of falsified core safety inspections, Conway questions the credibility of BGE’s safety claims, urging an independent audit of the utility’s oversight structure. In April 2025, Council President Zeke Cohen called for oversight hearings considering the allegations against BGE.
In Conway’s June 2 letter to Tamla Olivier, president and CEO of BGE, he noted that the Baltimore City Council grants the utility its franchise to operate and has a duty to protect public safety, monitor spending, and protect its constituents simultaneously. He asked for answers to eight questions, several of them with multiple parts. Among them was a request for an unredacted version of the PSC report (redacting only individual personnel details); what steps BGE has taken to re-inspect pipelines where inspections were falsified; any internal audit findings; how BGE determined only one inspector falsified reports; how the utility addresses risk that alleged whistleblower retaliation compromises safety oversight, and more.
BGE responded to Baltimore Fishbowl’s request for comment on Conway’s letter with the following statement:
We look forward to continuing our direct engagement with Councilman Conway.
At BGE, we are deeply committed to fostering a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability. As part of our core compliance values, we proactively investigate concerns and strongly encourage individuals to come forward with information. Accordingly, consistent with our core values, we welcome and protect those who raise issues.
We categorically deny any attempt to silence former employees. These matters are currently being addressed in two separate proceedings: a pending motion before the Circuit Court regarding compliance with the Court’s existing order and an ongoing investigation by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC). We will not comment publicly on the substance of the allegations, because it is only appropriate to address them within the respective legal and regulatory forums. BGE is committed to full cooperation with the PSC’s investigation and to working constructively with all involved parties, including the former employees and their legal representatives who are also a party to that proceeding.
