The Maryland Public Service Commission has approved a significant budget reallocation request that will impact residential energy customers. During the Administrative Meeting on September 24, 2025, the commission unanimously agreed to Columbia's proposed rider BBS maximum rate of $0.02283 per therm, alongside necessary tariff changes to ensure full reconciliation of the rider.

This decision is expected to streamline billing processes for Columbia customers, enhancing transparency and predictability in energy costs. The effective date for these changes is set for September 21, 2025.

In a related discussion, Delmarva Power and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) sought to shift funds within their demand response portfolios. Delmarva Power requested to transfer 59% of its incentive budget from its flexible load management residential program to its bring your own device (BYOD) residential program. This shift will increase the residential BYOD program budget by 140%, resulting in a slight increase in the Empower Residential surcharge of approximately $0.00035 per kilowatt hour. For an average customer using 1,004 kilowatt hours, this translates to an increase of about 3 cents per month.

Pepco's request involved reallocating 10% of its budget from the residential flexible load management program to the residential BYOD program, which falls within the commission's guidelines and does not require additional approval.

The commission's staff expressed support for both requests, emphasizing that these reallocations would not adversely affect existing programs and are essential for maintaining the continuity of popular demand response initiatives. The Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) also voiced its support, highlighting the importance of these programs in managing energy consumption effectively.

These decisions mark a proactive step towards enhancing energy efficiency and customer engagement in Maryland, ensuring that demand response programs remain funded and operational.