WASHINGTON — Another proposed Pepco rate hike in Maryland was the topic of a public hearing Wednesday night in Rockville.
In November 2016, months after finalizing its merger with Exelon, Maryland Pepco customers got a rate increase that cost the average homeowner about $7 more per month.
In March 2017, the utility asked the state’s Public Service Commission to approve another increase, amounting to another $7 per month for residential customers.
In its application, Pepco said it spent $138.3 million in 2016 on infrastructure improvements, and the company planned to spend another $150.6 million this year.
During Wednesday’s hearing at the Montgomery County Council Office Building, the Maryland Public Service Commission heard strong opinions of the proposed rate hike.
“This latest request for $68.6 million in additional ratepayer contributions is not justified. No way, no how,” were the words of Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner, read at the hearing by a legislative aide to Berliner, Aaron Kraut.
“This is not acceptable. We’re being milked,” said Rockville resident Matteo Colombi.
Another Pepco customer from Rockville, Ellen Ryan, said she’s counted more power outages in the last year than in the previous one.
“We were promised great things if Pepco merged with Exelon. Do you remember how fast the rates rose after that $50 credit? I do,” she said.
The $50 bill credit she was referring to was the first of two that Pepco agreed to pay Maryland customers as part of the merger deal with Exelon.
Others speaking at the hearing said they support another rate increase.
“Pepco’s reliability improvements over the last 6 to 7 years have resulted in almost flawless service in my community,” said Jean Sperling of Chevy Chase.
Shreedhar Shah, who lives in the Rockville area, said he has also noticed better service from Pepco recently.
“As much as I don’t want to pay more — and you don’t want to pay more, no one wants to pay more — I think some of these improvements are vastly needed,” he said.
The Public Service Commission will hold evidentiary hearings on the matter at its offices in Baltimore Sept. 5—15.
By law, it must issue a decision by Oct. 20 on whether to approve or deny the rate hike request.
