Latest news with #OfficeofPublicAdvocate
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers hear late session effort to tackle ‘twin challenge' of high costs, harmful emissions
A coal-fired power plant belches emissions. (Michigan Advance) A Maine lawmaker introduced a late-session, bipartisan bill that she hopes will address what she called the 'twin challenges' of high energy costs and harmful fossil fuel emissions. Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cumberland) outlined the several ways LD 1949 will address those problems during a public hearing Thursday before the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. It includes protections for vulnerable populations against power disconnection, enhanced utility accountability and environmental justice requirements. 'Taken on the whole, the intent is really to make sure that we are having and working toward a system that works as well for customers as it does for energy executives,' said Lucy Hochschartner, climate and clean energy director for Maine Conservation Voters, who spoke in support of the bill. Though the Office of Public Advocate, the Governor's Energy Office and the Public Utilities Commission said the intent of the legislation is commendable, they all testified neither for nor against the bill and raised concerns about unintended consequences of the sweeping proposal. The commission and the Office of Public Advocate recommended carrying the bill over to the next session to allow for more time to refine the details. The public hearing comes just one day before the deadline for committees to submit their carry-over requests to the presiding officers. However, that deadline is somewhat of a moving target and the presiding officers have final say over what can be pushed to the second regular session, which begins January 2026. Carney described her bill to the committee as 'a meaningful step toward making sure our energy systems work for everyone, not just those who can afford to keep up.' To take that step, the legislation has four parts, with the first seeking to bolster overcharge and disconnection protections for ratepayers. Lawmaker argues it's a 'moral imperative' to address high energy costs alongside climate change The legislation would prohibit utilities from disconnecting services for customers who haven't paid, if the customer is 65 years or older, experiencing financial hardship, has certain medical conditions, attempted to access an assistance program or has a child under the age of 1 living there. Versant Power, one of Maine's two largest private utility companies, opposed the bill, citing multiple concerns, including that the disconnection provisions could increase costs for other ratepayers and could violate customer privacy, given the health and age details those new provisions could hinge on. Carney's legislation also hopes to address an issue raised in a recent annual report from the Maine Office of the Public Advocate. Per that report, between 2016 and 2023, competitive providers charged households $135 million more than what would have been charged by the standard offer for electricity supply. To prevent that and ensure that assistance program dollars aren't being overspent, Carney said the bill would prohibit competitive electricity providers from entering into a contract with a household that has received low-income assistance unless the Public Utilities Commission finds that the customer would in fact receive a lower rate. The second portion of LD 1949 seeks to strengthen utility accountability by limiting what expenses can be passed onto ratepayers. These include costs related to travel, lodging and food for utility company officers, among other expenditures related to investor relations and rate case proceedings. Though aimed at energy utilities, the Maine Water Utilities Association said it would also be swept up into the requirements outlined in the proposal. Water utilities in Maine are typically small and only receive revenue through rates, so David Parent, superintendent of the Sanford Water District, said the limitations on what costs can be passed onto ratepayers would pose challenges for them. He also said most water utilities likely won't have the software needed to track the demographics to consider in disconnections. Unless the bill is amended to carve out water utilities, Parent asked the committee not to move forward with the legislation. Because accurate data is key to ensuring utility laws benefit Maine people, Carney said her proposal also includes improved reporting metrics. Under her bill, utilities with over 50,000 customers would be required to file quarterly reports with the Public Utilities Commission with information on overdue accounts, disconnections, reconnections and payment plans. The commission would also be required to conduct proceedings at least once every five years to review the administrative charges collected by the utility companies. The final piece of LD 1949 targets the other side of the dual challenge Carney outlined by requiring the Public Utilities Commission to incorporate environmental justice principles into its work. There is a lengthy definition for 'environmental justice' included in the bill to mean fair treatment of all people with respect to the implementation and enforcement of environmental laws. The legislation also includes a labor component by requiring that a certain percentage of labor hours for construction and repair projects for energy generation facilities are performed by qualified apprentices. Reed & Reed, a construction company that has built numerous wind energy projects in the state, opposed the bill largely because of the last section. Since the company has struggled to retain a workforce in some of the most rural parts of the state, they argued the apprenticeship requirements seem unsustainable. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why are Delmarva Power bills rising so much? How to get some relief and learn more
Residents from around Delaware have been reporting skyrocketing energy bills from Delmarva Power so far in 2025. Legislators have called on the Office of Public Advocate to step in to help reduce costs, but both the Office and the utility company have claimed that costs are rising due to inclement weather, despite reports that other utility customers have not experienced the same increase. Theories also have been floated that part of the reason for the increase is the state's emphasis for utilities to improve their renewable energy portfolio. Delmarva Power has extended resources for customers to waive late fees and additional tips to reduce energy usage while elected officials plan on holding a meeting to further explain the increase. But, for some residents, that support is not enough while their bills double. Here's what to know. Numerous cold snaps have gripped the Northeast since December, and some residents are reporting an equally chilling experience, energy bills reaching multiple hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. A Facebook group called 'Delmarva Power Victims' has amassed nearly 9,000 members. Residents from the Delmarva area have reported nearly double or triple their traditional electric and gas bill prices, and have called for an end to what they are viewing as 'price gouging.' Delmarva prices have remained a hot topic as energy rates soared in January. Bills have increased by hundreds of dollars for some Delawareans, and some people, like Gerardine Hendrix, who owns a single-family home in Wilmington. She said her bill doubled in a month, despite being out of the house for most nights and only living with her daughter. 'It's so unfair,' she said. 'I'm glad to pay for improvement but they need to balance the delivery fee and make it reasonable.' Third try for ship: SS United States now set to leave Philadelphia on Monday A petition titled 'Stop Delmarva Power from ripping off taxpayers in the Eastern Shore!' began by Adeel Khan has also received over 16,000 signatures as of Tuesday, Feb. 11 – just two weeks after it was published. 'As a monopoly operating in our area, Delmarva Power has imposed unreasonable costs and failed to provide equitable and transparent services to its customers,' the petition reads. The petition calls for Gov. Matt Meyer and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Public Service Commission to investigate the company's billing practices, audit the operations of Delmarva Power, break the 'monopoly' of Delmarva Power by allowing for competition and providing residents with alternative energy options. Maria Cordona lives in Pike Creek, and while she had some payments backed up from an expensive December bill, she does not understand the sudden hikes, which are costing her more than $1200 in January. She wants transparency from Delmarva Power on what the charges mean. Specifically, her delivery fee was higher than her usage fees. "They need to explain, ' How is that delivery done or completed, or what happens that it's more expensive than the actual supply?" she said. According to a Delmarva Power president, Phil Vavala, the delivery fee is not a new charge, rather the format of the bill was changed to provide more transparency. Their electric rates were approved in April 2024, and their natural gas rates were last approved in October 2022. Delmarva Power maintains that the primary driver of the rate hike has been the cold temperatures that have plagued the state's 342,500 electric customers and New Castle County's 140,000 natural gas customers since December. The cold weather has increased electric usage by 40% from November to December 2024, and increased natural gas usage 200% in the same time frame. Those numbers increased again in January by 23% and 50%, while the power company experienced record winter usage for both electric and natural gas in January. "I'm sure you can appreciate that it takes more energy to heat your home when that occurs when the ambient temperature outside is zero degrees, and surrounding your house, it takes more energy," Vavala said a virtual press conference Thursday. "Our systems need to work harder to be able to help keep our the same temperature inside of our homes there, and we're seeing that across the board." He said the usage and delivery charges are proportional, and that the charge goes to all of the infrastructure required to bring gas and electricity to a home. He also said usage is more to blame for price hikes than any potential renewable energy costs. "The more you use, the more your delivery rate is; the less you use, the less the delivery rate is," he said. In July 2024, PJM, the regional grid manager, held a capacity auction to ensure that it can meet its reliability requirement for the 2025-2026 delivery year. According to PJM Interconnection, auction prices were 'significantly higher' due to decreased electricity supply. 'The significantly higher prices in this auction confirm our concerns that the supply/demand balance is tightening across the [regional transmission organization],' said President and CEO of PJM Manu Asthana. 'The market is sending a price signal that should incent investment in resources.' In addition to the lower supply, PJM noted that it is also taking longer to build renewable energy generation due to external challenges such as financing, supply chain issues, and siting and permitting issues. In a letter dated Thursday, Jan. 30, a group of state representatives called on the Office of the Public Advocate to take action in investigating the 'dramatic increases' in energy bills, noted by their constituents. 'While we understand that temperatures were unseasonably cold during this period, these steep increases brought forth appear beyond seasonal weather fluctuations,' the letter reads. 'Additionally, residents who are not served by Delmarva Power have not seen the same changes in their energy bills despite the same cold temperatures experienced by them and their energy providers.' The Office's Acting Public Advocate Ruth Ann Price sent a letter back on Tuesday, Feb. 4, agreeing with the concerns shared by the representatives, but ultimately chalking the reasoning up to higher usage of electricity and a re-design of the Delmarva bills that could lead to confusion among customers. More about energy: President Trump halts offshore wind projects. What does that mean for Delaware? 'I understand and share the concerns raised by consumers,' the letter said. 'The higher bills they are seeing is being driven primarily by the unusually cold winter we have been experiencing … The largest driver of electric usage for customers with electric space heating is their HVAC system … the largest driver of natural gas consumption is their gas furnace.' Price also cited the most recent PJM auction, and said that market reforms are ongoing at the company, but 'upward pressure on prices is expected to continue.' She also stated that Delmarva is currently before the Public Service Commission seeking a natural gas rate increase. Similarly, the Delaware State Senate Republican Caucus posted on Facebook that in response to the 'numerous' complaints about the sharp increases, members of the caucus met with municipal and co-op providers and energy stakeholders. 'Experts and those in the industry consistently point to federal and state regulations reducing traditional energy generation as being a cause of inflated rates as mandated green energy investments fail to meet growing demand,' the caucus wrote. 'While there is no quick fix, we are committed to introducing legislation to curb rising utility rates.' Delmarva Power offered some resources attempting to assist customers who are struggling with making the payments such as rescinding late payment fees for January and February 2025 and providing longer periods for repayment, suspending disconnections for nonpayment in February 2025 and waiving deposits for disconnected customers who are seeking to restore services. The utility company also listed tips to reduce energy usage such as maintaining heating systems, lowering water heater temperatures, managing thermostat levels and utilizing high usage alerts and energy usage information listed on the company's website. Sen. Stephanie Hansen will hold a hearing on the rising energy bills with the Senate Committee for Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee, Delmarva Power, the Public Service Commission and the Delaware Office of the Public Advocate. Saving on heat: Here's how to optimize your thermostat for winter to save on heating bills In a statement to The News Journal, Hansen said the state has the power to set the rates that Delmarva Power can charge for electric and gas supplies and deliveries through the Public Service Commission and the Division of the Public Advocate. It can also change statutory requirements like renewable energy and public purpose programs to support low-income customers. Those changes make up a small part of the bills, she said. Hansen said the goal of the meeting is to hear from Delmarva Power to see what can be done in response to steep winter prices. "I suspect that we will see quick action," she said in her statement. "But we need to determine the best levers for making an impact." A Delmarva Power spokesperson said there is not much they can do with their current process, which they said was fully regulated and approved by the state. "Everything that customer sees is either something that has been approved by the Public Service Commission and or is a mandate from the state of Delaware," the spokesperson said. The hearing will be held on Friday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. in Legislative Hall's Senate Chamber. The hearing can also be streamed online here. Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@ Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety. Shane Brennan covers New Castle County with a focus on Newark and surrounding communities. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@ Follow @shanebrennan36 on X, formerly Twitter. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delmarva Power bills are skyrocketing. Hearing to be held on prices
