Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supporters urge Montgomery County to create Community Choice Energy; landlords warn of commercial enrollment issues
Summary
At a public hearing on expedited Bill 27‑25, advocates urged the council to establish a county Community Choice Energy program to increase renewable electricity and lower rates; industry and property‑management groups asked for exemptions or opt‑in provisions for small commercial accounts citing administrative burdens.
Montgomery County held a public hearing Sept. 9 on expedited Bill 27‑25 to authorize a county‑run Community Choice Energy (CCE/CCA) program. Supporters said a locally run aggregator can increase renewable supply, stabilize rates and advance county climate goals; some commercial stakeholders urged safeguards for business accounts.
Sarah Kogelsmucker, the county’s climate change officer, testified that CCE is identified in the county’s climate action plan as a leading tool to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions and that the county’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would oversee the aggregator. She said the county will still operate within competitive energy markets and that staff will seek clarity with committee staff on implementation language.
Multiple advocates backed the bill. Laurie McGilvray said CCAs can provide cleaner energy at competitive prices and broaden consumer choice. Mark Posner of the Montgomery County Sierra Club urged prompt adoption and described the regulatory steps that follow adoption: producing an aggregation (business) plan and a PSC review. Cody Hovind of Lean Energy/Veil Energy US and Julian Gattaseca of Carpine Community Energy described national CCA experience: retention and satisfaction rates are typically high and CCAs can deliver lower rates and higher renewable content in other jurisdictions.
Several community speakers framed the bill as climate action and local control; a student speaker and resident testimony emphasized giving residents a voice in energy decisions.
The Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA) and associated commercial interests said they support stabilizing costs and renewables but raised specific concerns about opt‑out enrollment for commercial accounts that span many meters. AOBA asked the council to consider exempting certain small commercial accounts or requiring opt‑in for commercial customers to avoid inadvertent enrollment and administrative burdens for property managers who oversee hundreds of accounts.
Speakers said state regulatory work (Public Service Commission rulemaking and a 2023 Lean Energy study) has informed the draft program, but they also warned that energy markets and federal policy can complicate procurement; advocates said those are reasons to move forward rather than delay.
Council members did not vote on the bill at the hearing; staff indicated the Transportation and Environment Committee would schedule a work session and that DEP and committee staff would continue technical discussions on implementation and language changes.
Next steps: a committee work session is scheduled and the council will consider technical edits and the aggregation plan before any PSC submissions.
