By William Irving

The Governor recently spoke to a PJM meeting. It is responsible for keeping the current flowing and the voltage up.  It knows the MWattHour costs for every generating source in the system.  It knows the costs of importing electricity from its boundaries.   He wished the PJM would do more for ratepayers.  What can it do to reduce costs, reorganize?  My understanding is the PJM Interconnection was a nonpolitical organization responsible for distributing and balancing loads and generation.  Part of this balance was predicting new generation needs. What has made the news is the changing of its queue to approve new projects. 

Moore said there are complexities to the energy market he does not understand.  I understand that it takes a prime mover (original energy source) to turn a generator, it takes the sun to create energy from a solar cell, it takes energy to power a fuel cell or create hydrogen storage.  I agree with him that it should be simple.  But electricity is highly regulated in Maryland, it will take his government some thinking on how to upregulate it.    Since the Maryland Power user has no choice currently but to pay the utility what is asked for, maybe we, the people, can make some suggestions.  But the Governor has many official opinions to listen to. 

The Governor can do many things to affect our electric bills.  There is the EmPOWER Maryland charge, he can permanently eliminate it.  It was typically $20-$30 in my bills. It is reduced from 2027-2029 a typical amount of $12.50-$15. 

Maryland can leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI.  The RGGI is a New York non-profit that collects money from multiple power producers and distributes monies in 5 categories, per 2023 collection data, as wished by the relative state member:  Energy efficiency, Clean and Renewable Energy, Beneficial Electrification, Greenhouse Gas Abatement and Climate Change Adaptation, and Direct Bill Assistance. This seems redundant with the EmPOWER Maryland Program. This scheme is paid by the utility, but indirectly shows up in our bills.  Why is New York deciding where my utility payments go?

Now that the PJM Consortium has revamped its queue approvals, it is up to Maryland to remove regulatory hurdles.  Why did it take so long to notice connection approvals were taking so long? 

Regulatory hurdles:  The Annapolis, MD government in 2026 passed a law that looks like an electric tariff.  Maybe it is doing the job for the PSC, Public Service Commission.  Maybe we should let the PSC do its job and not tell it what to do?

Montgomery County can help lower our bills by eliminating the Montgomery County Energy Tax.  It is typically $10-$15 on my bill. 

Montgomery County, Will Jawando and Kristin Mink, want a two-year delay to think about our data center power per an article in Bethesda Today.   Montgomery County Department of Permitting has multiple processes for approving safe, reliable projects.  One would think at the salary level of the council that the correct processes are already in place.  Maryland already has enough government agencies approving power projects.  There should not be any further delays.  Do we really want industry here or is that we need the correct, pre approved Montgomery County power source?

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William Irving, PE, an electrical engineer interested in all energies and lives in Montgomery County."