Baltimore City Council demands formal contract with BGE for streetlight services

The Baltimore City Council's Land Use & Transportation Committee convened on April 10, 2025, to address critical issues surrounding the city's street lighting management and its relationship with the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE). A significant focus of the meeting was the lack of a formal agreement between the city and BGE regarding streetlight maintenance services.

Council members expressed concerns that the absence of a contract has led to confusion and inefficiencies in managing street lighting. The discussion highlighted that while BGE has a price list approved by the state’s public service commission, this does not equate to a binding agreement for services. The council emphasized the need for a clear contract that outlines service level agreements and communication protocols between the Department of Transportation (DOT) and BGE.

The committee pointed out that the current system for managing streetlight maintenance is "incoherent," with multiple systems in place that do not effectively communicate with each other. This fragmentation complicates the city’s ability to track maintenance needs and respond to outages. Council members noted that other jurisdictions have established informal agreements with BGE, but such arrangements do not comply with Baltimore's city charter, which mandates formal contracts for service provision.

Data sharing emerged as another critical issue, with discrepancies noted between the service requests logged by DOT and those recognized by BGE. The committee stressed that the city owns the streetlights and is responsible for their maintenance, underscoring the need for a comprehensive asset management system that would allow for better oversight and accountability.

In conclusion, the committee's discussions underscored the urgency of formalizing the relationship between Baltimore City and BGE to ensure effective streetlight management. The council plans to pursue the establishment of a contract that clearly delineates roles, responsibilities, and expectations, aiming to enhance the reliability of street lighting services for Baltimore residents.