BGE Call Center Wait Times Improve, But Concerns Remain

Maryland regulators question whether progress will last after moratorium on late payments and shutoffs is lifted.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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The Maryland Public Service Commission is addressing customer complaints about Baltimore Gas and Electric's call center failures, which have left some customers on hold for hours. BGE has reported significant progress, reducing wait times from an average of 150 minutes to 32 minutes and increasing staffing. However, regulators are concerned that the progress may be temporary due to a commission-ordered moratorium on late payment and shut-off notices until February 28.

Why it matters

Reliable access to utility call centers is a critical issue for customers, especially during times of high demand or service disruptions. The Maryland Public Service Commission is closely monitoring BGE's progress to ensure the company is adequately addressing customer concerns and providing consistent, high-quality service.

The details

During a hearing, BGE faced scrutiny from the Maryland Public Service Commission over its call center failures. The company acknowledged it did not have enough staff to answer the phones, but has since made changes to improve availability and create a more predictable experience for customers. BGE has reduced wait times and increased staffing, but regulators are concerned that the progress may be artificial due to a temporary moratorium on late payment and shut-off notices.

  • The Maryland Public Service Commission held an evidentiary hearing on February 5, 2026.
  • BGE previously acknowledged call center staffing issues at a hearing in December 2025.
  • The commission-ordered moratorium on late payment and shut-off notices is set to expire on February 28, 2026.

The players

Bonnie Suchman

Maryland public service commissioner who criticized BGE's failure to adequately serve its customers.

Steven Singh

Vice president of customer operations at BGE, who reported on the company's progress in improving call center availability and wait times.

Stephanie Bolton

Director of the Maryland Public Service Commission's Consumer Affairs Division, who expressed concern about the sustainability of BGE's call center improvements.

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE)

The utility company serving the Baltimore, Maryland area that has faced customer complaints over call center failures.

Maryland Public Service Commission

The state regulatory agency overseeing utilities like BGE and addressing customer complaints.

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What they’re saying

“You're here not because you're succeeding, but because you're failing. And you're failing not just the company, but you're failing your customers, and that's a big problem.”

— Bonnie Suchman, Maryland public service commissioner

“Last time we met, we had reports of customers not being able to access our call center, so if they wanted to call us, in some cases, they couldn't get in. We fixed that. We changed our internal processes so that that won't happen again.”

— Steven Singh, Vice president of customer operations at BGE

“These changes and this streamlining have improved the availability and created a more predictable experience for our customers.”

— Steven Singh, Vice president of customer operations at BGE

“I'm going to be very curious to see once that moratorium is lifted, when that happens, what that looks like, how the call volume will be impacted and how our team's complaint volume will be impacted.”

— Stephanie Bolton, Director of the PSC's Consumer Affairs Division

What’s next

The next steps involve meeting again to finalize the action plan and address disagreements on metrics.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of utility companies maintaining reliable and accessible call centers, especially during times of high demand or service disruptions. While BGE has made progress, regulators remain concerned about the sustainability of these improvements once the temporary moratorium on late payments and shutoffs is lifted.