Fwd: FW: New limited-time financial assistance for utility bills | Watch out for scammers | Legislative recap on new energy laws

[Karen DeCamp]

Sharing this email blast from the Maryland People's Counsel. The Office of People's Counsel is an independent Maryland State agency that advocates for Maryland’s residential utility consumers. 

I have found this to be an excellent source of information. Scroll down for more information on utility assistance (bills are HIGH these days!). 

Their website is here: https://opc.maryland.gov/

All the best,

Karen DeCamp

Radnor Winston and YRP

From: Maryland Office of People's Counsel <Maryl...@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2025 7:36 AM
Subject: New limited-time financial assistance for utility bills | Watch out for scammers | Legislative recap on new energy laws

 

 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.     June 26, 2025       Rewiring the Rules: What Maryland’s New Utility Laws Mean for You Big changes from recent legislation might be coming. Legislation addressed gas infrastructure, multiyear rate plans, and even data center energy use. Join us in this 30-minute session and learn how these reforms came to be, what they might mean for your wallet, and what’s next in the fight for fair utility rates. Join us July 8, 12-12:30PM Sign up here     *New* limited-time financial assistance for utility bills Starting July 1, 2025, Maryland is launching a $19 million Customer Relief Fund to help low- and middle-income families with rising energy bills. The one-time assistance will be distributed by local nonprofits in BGE, Pepco, and Delmarva Power areas to support those most affected by higher energy costs. Read the announcement about the Customer Relief Fund   Click here to apply if you are a BGE customer Click here to apply if you are a Delmarva Power customer Click here to apply if you are a Pepco customer         Monthly phone discount Lifeline is a federal program that helps income-eligible consumers pay for their telephone and internet services by providing a monthly discount.    Learn more and sign up for this program.     Where have the retail energy suppliers gone? Have you been on the MD supplier shopping websites, mdelectricchoice.com and mdgaschoice.com, and noticed a decline in available energy supplier offers? Senate Bill 1, legislation that was passed in 2024, went into effect in January 2025. This new law aims to change the regulatory structure for marketing and selling of electricity and gas in Maryland to further protect Maryland residential customers. As to the availability of energy retail suppliers in Maryland, Senate Bill 1 does not prohibit energy retail suppliers from operating in Maryland, but expands rules to protect consumers that participating energy suppliers must follow. As a result of those rule changes, many energy retail suppliers are voluntarily deciding to no longer operate in Maryland.   Check out our FAQs for more information.         Look out for scammers! A utility will never call or text you to demand your bank account information or try to have you pay by prepaid card or Western Union to avoid disconnection. Many times, the scammer will call or text you from a spoofed number and it will look like a local number.   If you are the victim of a scam, contact your utility, and if a money scam, also contact the police. Remember, once the scammer gets the money, there is no way to get it back. If you are concerned about your utility bill, call your utility directly.     For questions or assistance, contact Brandi Nieland, Director of Consumer Assistance at brandi....@maryland.gov.        Your People's Counsel is David S. Lapp. Our team is here to help and advocate for you. We represent Maryland residential customers before the Public Service Commission and federal agencies, and we provide you assistance dealing with your utility issues, including affordable and reliable service.      To see what OPC is currently working on, click here for our recent press releases or click here for our media coverage.   Office of People’s Counsel  •  (410) 767-8150 / (800) 207-4055  •  https://link.edgepilot.com/s/75b184ad/L4nx-cHZyEa_aLmxjtwXLg?u=http://www.opc.maryland.gov/

 

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Karen DeCamp