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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0054*
HOUSE BILL 54
C5 6lr1564
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Allen
Requested: October 31, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Task Force to Study Restructuring Maryland’s Electric Utility Industry 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force to Study Restructuring Maryland’s Electric 3
Utility Industry to study and make recommendations on restructuring the State’s 4
electric utility industry; and generally relating to the Task Force to Study 5
Restructuring Maryland’s Electric Utility Industry. 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That: 8
(a) There is a Task Force to Study Restructuring Maryland’s Electric Utility 9
Industry. 10
(b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 11
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 12
the Senate; 13
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 14
House; 15
(3) the Secretary of the Environment, or the Secretary’s designee; 16
(4) the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
(5) the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration, or the Director’s 18
designee; 19
(6) one member of the Public Service Commission, designated by the Chair 20
of the Public Service Commission; 21
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(7) the Director of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, or 1
the Director’s designee; 2
(8) the People’s Counsel, or the People’s Counsel’s designee; 3
(9) one representative of PJM Interconnection, LLC, designated by PJM 4
Interconnection, LLC; 5
(10) one representative of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, designated 6
by Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; 7
(11) one representative of Constellation Energy Corporation, designated by 8
Constellation Energy Corporation; 9
(12) one representative of Potomac Electric Power Company, designated by 10
Potomac Electric Power Company; 11
(13) one representative of Potomac Edison, designated by Potomac Edison; 12
(14) one representative of Delmarva Power, designated by Delmarva Power; 13
(15) one representative of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, 14
designated by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative; 15
(16) one representative of Choptank Electric Cooperative, designated by 16
Choptank Electric Cooperative; 17
(17) one representative of an independent electricity generation compan y, 18
designated by the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration; 19
(18) one representative of the Easton Utilities Commission , designated by 20
the Easton Utilities Commission; 21
(19) one representative of the Berlin Electric Utility, designated by the 22
Berlin Electric Utility; 23
(20) one representative of Thurmont Municipal Light Company, designated 24
by Thurmont Municipal Light Company; 25
(21) one representative of the Hagerstown Light Department, designated by 26
the Hagerstown Light Department; 27
(22) one representative of Williamsport Municipal Electric L ight System , 28
designated by Williamsport Municipal Electric Light System; 29
HOUSE BILL 54 3
(23) one representative of the Consumer Advocate s of the PJM States , 1
designated by the Consumer Advocates of the PJM States; 2
(24) two representatives of Maryland ratepayers, one appointed by the 3
President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House; 4
(25) one representative of the public with expertise in Maryland’s electric 5
utility industry, appointed by the Governor; and 6
(26) two representatives of nonprofit organizations that focus on the electric 7
utility industry, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the 8
Speaker of the House. 9
(c) The Chair of the Public Service Commission shall designate the chair of the 10
Task Force. 11
(d) The Public Service Commission shall provide staff for the Task Force. 12
(e) A member of the Task Force: 13
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 14
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 15
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 16
(f) The Task Force shall: 17
(1) study options for restructuring Maryland’s electric utility industry, 18
such as publicly owned utilities, cooperatives, and public utility districts; 19
(2) evaluate optio ns for improving or reduc ing electricity rates for 20
Maryland ratepayers; 21
(3) assess strategies for ensuring that electric companies are more 22
responsive to the needs of ratepayers; 23
(4) examine alternative utility and governance models used in other states, 24
including Nebraska, Washington, and Oregon; 25
(5) compare electricity rates in the states examined under item (4) of this 26
subsection with electricity rates in Maryland; 27
(6) compare infrastructure investments and improvements made by 28
publicly ow ned electric companies with infrastructure investments and improvements 29
made by private electric companies; 30
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(7) analyze the legal implications of transferring to public ownership , 1
including transferring through the use of eminent domain, all or part of the privately owned 2
electric company assets within the State; 3
(8) evaluate options for energy market participation, including withdrawal 4
from PJM Interconnection, LLC; 5
(9) estimate the potential costs and benefits to Maryland residents of 6
transitioning to the options and models studied under this subsection; 7
(10) identify options for providing public review or approval of proposed 8
structural changes; and 9
(11) develop recommendations based on the findings under this subsection. 10
(g) On or before November 1, 2027, the Task Force shall report its findings and 11
recommendations to the General Assembly in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 12
Government Article. 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2028, 15
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 16
of no further force and effect. 17