SUN: Rising electric bills fuel debate over Maryland’s role in PJM

Maryland energy leaders are increasingly questioning whether the state’s involvement with the nation’s largest regional power grid is still serving consumers as electricity bills rise and demand surges across the Mid-Atlantic.

The debate centers on PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization (RTO) that manages electricity markets and grid operations across Maryland, 12 other states and Washington, D.C.

Consumer advocates, environmental groups and some energy analysts say Maryland ratepayers are increasingly shouldering costs tied to energy demand elsewhere in the region, particularly Northern Virginia’s booming data center industry, while not getting enough benefits in return. Critics contend that PJM’s planning and market structures have struggled to keep pace with rising electricity demand and the retirement of power plants.

Those concerns have renewed questions about whether Maryland should pursue alternatives to the PJM grid, which state legislators considered during the 2026 legislative session.

Yet, critics stop short of advocating that Maryland leave the regional grid altogether.

Joseph Bowring, president of Monitoring Analytics, PJM’s independent market monitor and a frequent critic of the group’s market structure, said Maryland continues to benefit from membership in the regional grid. “I think all the states in PJM benefit from their membership,” he said. “Having a large, dynamic, varied grid makes sense for everybody.”

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