When close to half of your paycheck goes to pay your utility bill, something has gone seriously wrong.
The Public Service Commission needs to get to the bottom of this problem and these hearings are a good first step. But the Commission must also prioritize implementation of known solutions to lower bills like energy efficiency.
The PSC can lower bills by requiring utilities to help customers seal air leaks in their homes, insulate walls, and install programmable thermostats. Lowering bills through energy efficiency works. A utility-run weatherization program in Philadelphia saves the average participating low-income household $300 per year on their utility bill, two percent of the annual income for many of these families.
Although Maryland passed strong energy efficiency goals last year, utility implementation is lagging. We are miles away from achieving the statewide goal which the Maryland Energy Administration estimates would save consumers $4.1 billion in energy costs by 2020. If the Public Service Commission is serious about tackling rising utility costs, its members need to commit to aggressive energy efficiency efforts to lower bills for the long haul.
