The Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) offers safe energy to over 700,000 gas customers and 1.3 million electric customers in Maryland. It is a subsidiary to Exelon Corporation. Its service area is located in Baltimore City and 10 central Maryland counties. Maryalnd BGE provides gas and electricity and customer service, billing and maintenance of its infrastructure.
For its electric customers, BGE offers an Energy Choice program, which lets them choose an alternative provider for their energy requirements. This allows them to keep their costs down and shield themselves from wholesale market fluctuations. There are also smaller suppliers and national companies that offer this service. If customers shop on the open market, they can lock in their supply rate.
At present, BGE offers two types of rates. The flat rate plan is referred to as Standard Offer Service and the time-of-use rate is the other. Both rates have been approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission. Customers will receive the electricity they require when they need it with the Time of Use rate. However, they can also choose to pay the standard flat rate. Customers can compare rates and costs in the Price to Compare section of their bill.
If you opt for the Time of Use rate, you’ll pay $0.36 per kWh during peak hours and $0.07 per kWh during off-peak hours. You can also find an estimate of your monthly cost using the myRates tool.
BGE has a long tradition of being a responsible corporate citizen. It offers a variety charitable giving programs to help communities. BGE invests in culture, neighborhood development and also makes donations to the arts. As part of its mission, BGE focuses on creating diverse workplaces for its employees.
In February, Victoria Stewart, an electric customer in Baltimore County, received a bill for $350. It was $100 more than what she had paid the previous month. She claimed that a drop in commodity prices had reduced her expenses. The average residential electric bill now is 9percent higher than it was last year. The gas price is 23% more.
Customers can use the Price to Compare tool to determine the electricity rates offered by different providers. It is available to residential and business customers. With just a swipe of a finger, users can manage multiple accounts and pay bills. The BGE app also allows users to check the status of outage restoration.
Additionally, BGE’s rate adjustment mechanisms that include gas recovery ensure that the utility’s cash flow is steady. After receiving approval from the PSC in December 2020, BGE’s initial multi-year rate plan will become effective on January 1st, 2021. However, BGE cannot request another rate increase before December 2023.
In the meantime, BGE has launched its Smart Energy Savers Program, which offers bill credit and discounts on appliances with energy stars. The program has already provided $570 million in bill credit and rebates.