ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Gov. Wes Moore’s legislative energy proposal, the Lower Bills and Local Power Act of 2026, was heard in both House and Senate committees on Tuesday.
“Marylanders are frustrated, and rightfully so,” Jeremy Baker, Gov. Moore’s Chief Legislative Officer, said.
“This bill, the Lower Bills and Local Power Act, is the best route, in our minds, to address Maryland’s affordability and reliability issues that align with Maryland’s energy and climate goals,” Kelly Speakes-Backman, director of the Maryland Energy Administration, said.
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The proposed legislation establishes the Solar and Energy Storage Market Stabilization Program to provide funding for clean energy projects affected by the loss of federal tax incentives, looks into siting transmission and battery storage systems within existing rights-of-way, and it requires electric companies to participate as members in a regional transmission organization, like PJM, without passing those costs to customers. The bill also has a focus on grid enhancing technologies.
“As demand increases, building new infrastructure, especially on transmission lines, rapidly increases ratepayer costs, and it can exacerbate siting challenges,” Speakes-Backman said.
“What this bill does is it requires utilities to first prioritize advanced transmission technologies,” she added.
The legislation also allocates another $100 million from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund toprovide an additional $40 energy rebate to residential customers. The proposed rebate is similar to two previous rebates that were put in place last year. Many residents have begin receiving the second rebate on their recent February energy bill.
“This is going to be an average of $40 a year for rate payers, which is quite frankly nowhere near enough to help my constituents,” Sen. Jason Gallion said.
Republicans have introduced legislation this session to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as well as legislation to get rid of the EmPOWER MD charge, in an effort to lower energy bills. Gallion questioned the governor’s panel about those issues.
“How can you justify the $40 for a year when there are other options that could save people probably at least that much every month?” Gallion questioned.
“We continue to work through options on that on those rebate dollars to look at ways we can use that on EmPOWER as well, because I think you know that is an issue we’re aware of and working through, so I think we’re open to those kind of conversations, and again I think on the broader picture simply put, we need more in-state generation,” Baker said. “Using SEIF dollars for those investments over the medium and long-term will benefit the ratepayer.”
Sen. Cheryl Kagan also voiced concerns about the proposed rebate, and whether or not officials could target the funds to help individuals who need it most.
“I know the one-time credit is a good example of immediate relief, but a lot of people will say that that’s kind of a short term solution and it’s not fixing the underlying problem. So, can you speak a little bit more about what this does rather than a relatively small one-time credit, what it does in the medium and long-term?” Del. Nick Allen said.
“In the medium term and moving into the longer term really approaches the auction proposal that we have for solar where we can get the most ready projects built quickly,” Speakes-Backman said.
You can read the proposed bill (SB 386) below:
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