Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill that would explore the impact of leaving the regional power grid operator, known as the PJM Interconnection.
The legislation joins a myriad of proposals that aim to lower skyrocketing utility bills for Maryland ratepayers — a declared top priority for lawmakers this legislative session.
The PJM is the largest regional transmission organization in the country, managing the flow of electricity for 13 states, including Maryland.
Maryland lawmakers don’t need a committee to explore this.
They can make a phone call down to the State House in Austin, Texas and get their opinion.
The Lone Star State found out the hard way. Texas stood alone, separated from the National Power Grid when an unusual cold front hit in February 2021.
It was a catastrophe. 5 million homes were without power in bitter cold. And all kinds of problems with Texas industries.
From what I have observed high electric bills are the fault of BGE and it’s parent company Exelon Corporation.
Simply put they are greed bastards.
I’m an Electrician. I’m not a Lineman but I have done some work with line crews.
Maryland lawmakers should form a committee of electrical engineers and High Voltage linemen, people who understand electric power transmission and delivery systems and look at how BGE runs things.
Look at the BGE operation. Has BGE kept it updated? Is it likely rate increases would go into the grid and local delivery lines or into the pockets of BGE and Exelon shareholders.
The Electric Power Grid is also a National Security issue. The Grid is vulnerable at any time even when it’s maintained and looked after. Large transformers are not kept in stock. They have to be ordered and built in advance and takes months. Knocking one of them out of operation is not that hard. And most control components are electronic and computer controlled and to vulnerable to hacking or an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) device and especially one from a nuclear weapon which travels thousands of miles.
Plans should be in place to handle these issues. PJM Interconnection controls how the power flows in the National Grid.
BGE handles the local infrastructure.
I seriously doubt National Security enters the minds of the BGE or Exelon shareholders. Some of them may not even live in the United States.
PJM is aware of it. But they don’t own the local lines. BGE does.
Any rate increase should start with BGE explaining exactly why they need it.
And all the little fees added to our electric bill that add to the bottom line.
How much of the money from a rate increase goes into the power system upkeep and how much into BGE’s pocket.