Maryland Democrats Unveil Utility Relief Act to Lower Energy Bills

Proposed legislation aims to refund ratepayers, promote local energy, and hold utility companies accountable

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, and Senate President Bill Ferguson have unveiled the Utility RELIEF Act, a legislative package designed to lower energy bills for Marylanders. The bill would refund ratepayers from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, promote local energy generation, and require utility companies to prioritize grid-enhancing and advanced transmission technologies. It also includes measures to hold utility companies more accountable, place guardrails on data centers, and streamline energy assistance programs for low-income families.

Why it matters

Many Maryland families have been struggling with skyrocketing utility costs, which the state's Democratic leadership attributes to the actions and failures of the previous Trump-Vance administration and regional energy operators like PJM. The Utility RELIEF Act aims to provide much-needed relief and affordability for Marylanders.

The details

The Utility RELIEF Act would refund Maryland ratepayers from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to help offset utility fees, promote local energy generation, and require utility companies to prioritize grid-enhancing and advanced transmission technologies. It also aims to hold utility companies more accountable, place guardrails on data centers by requiring them to pay for their own energy infrastructure upgrades, and streamline energy assistance programs for low-income families.

  • The Utility RELIEF Act was unveiled by Governor Wes Moore, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, and Senate President Bill Ferguson on March 13, 2026.

The players

Wes Moore

The Governor of Maryland.

Joseline Peña-Melnyk

The Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.

Bill Ferguson

The President of the Maryland Senate.

Jason Buckel

The House Minority Leader in the Maryland General Assembly.

Jesse Pippy

The House Minority Whip in the Maryland General Assembly.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Marylanders deserve energy bills they can afford. But because of the Trump-Vance administration's actions and failures by regional operators like PJM, too many families are seeing skyrocketing utility costs—and that is unacceptable.”

— Wes Moore, Governor (wmar2news.com)

“Savings from this bill will make life more affordable for all Marylanders. We are delivering on our affordability, accountability, and opportunity agenda.”

— Joseline Peña-Melnyk, House Speaker (wmar2news.com)

“There are a few elements of this new mega bill that make sense and, frankly, finally give credence to what our Republican Caucus has been saying for years – we cannot afford the multiple surcharges and artificial taxes and costs tacked on to everyone's monthly energy bills. However, the bill does not go very far in dealing with affordability issues in the short term, nor does it address the long-term supply and demand issues that present a massive threat to Maryland's grid reliability, energy costs, and our ability to grow our tech sector and related industries. Fundamentally, this bill is too little, but hopefully it is not too late. We can, and must, do better for our citizens.”

— Jason Buckel, House Minority Leader (wmar2news.com)

What’s next

The Maryland General Assembly will need to debate and pass the Utility RELIEF Act before it can be signed into law by Governor Moore.

The takeaway

The Utility RELIEF Act represents a concerted effort by Maryland's Democratic leadership to provide much-needed relief to families struggling with high energy costs, while also aiming to hold utility companies more accountable and promote local, sustainable energy solutions. However, the Republican response suggests the bill may face some opposition and may not go far enough to address the state's long-term energy challenges.