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Panel backs creation of energy planning office to draft risk reports and model future scenarios
Summary
House Bill 1037 would create a strategic energy planning office within the Public Service Commission to publish tri‑annual risk reports and convene stakeholders; the committee approved the bill with amendments clarifying timelines and stakeholder processes.
The Economic Matters Committee voted to advance House Bill 1037, which would establish a Strategic Energy Planning Office within the Public Service Commission. The office would be charged with producing a comprehensive risk report roughly every three years assessing supply, demand, environmental and market risks; the office is required to solicit stakeholder input as it develops modeling assumptions and proposed mitigations.
Committee staff said the office will coordinate inputs from state agencies (including the Maryland Energy Administration, Department of the Environment, and the Power Plant Research Program), solicit technical feedback from utilities and other stakeholders, and create a public, repeatable modeling process. The bill as amended clarifies timelines and stakeholder input points during modeling, report drafting and post‑publication reviews.
Why it matters: lawmakers described the office as a tool to provide state policymakers with independent forward‑looking analysis on generation, storage, transmission and other systemic risks to the grid — with an explicit charge to identify actions that could reduce costs for ratepayers and improve system resilience.
Key points - Stakeholder process: The office must create stakeholder touchpoints during inputs/assumptions, after report publication to assess mitigation options, and during PSC proceedings every three years. The statute names state agencies as required collaborators but the office must solicit and publish industry and public feedback.
- Funding and independence: Committee debate included whether to fund the office from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund (CIF) or general funds. Supporters argued CIF funding would align resources with energy priorities; others said independent standing and stable funding were important. The bill was approved with the office structured as an independent PSC office; funding streams and budget details will be addressed in follow‑on steps.
Votes and outcome Committee moved the bill as amended and approved it on a roll call. The committee emphasized that the office’s statutory duties require published stakeholder processes and that the PSC will facilitate follow‑up proceedings as needed.
What’s next If enacted the office will begin data collection and stakeholder convenings and the first risk report will set out modeling assumptions, scenarios and recommended mitigations for state policymakers and regulators to consider.
