Maryland Leaders Announce Utility RELIEF Act to Lower Energy Bills

The proposed legislation aims to generate more energy in Maryland and hold utility companies accountable while saving families at least $150 annually.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:04pm

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and state legislative leaders have announced a legislative package called the Utility Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families (RELIEF) Act. The act is intended to lower energy bills for Maryland residents by generating more in-state energy, modernizing the electric grid, and increasing oversight of utility companies.

Why it matters

Maryland families and small businesses have faced skyrocketing energy costs, with some residents seeing their utility bills more than triple in recent months. The Utility RELIEF Act is an attempt by state leaders to provide relief and hold utility companies accountable for rising prices.

The details

The Utility RELIEF Act includes several key provisions: $100 million in energy bill relief from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, $100 million to support local clean energy generation projects, requirements for utility companies to prioritize grid modernization, greater oversight of utility spending, and guardrails to ensure data centers pay their fair share for grid upgrades. The legislation aims to save Maryland families at least $150 per year on their energy bills.

  • The Utility RELIEF Act was announced on March 13, 2026.

The players

Wes Moore

The governor of Maryland who is leading the push for the Utility RELIEF Act.

Bill Ferguson

The Maryland Senate President who is supporting the legislative package.

Joseline Peña-Melnyk

The Maryland House Speaker who is also backing the Utility RELIEF Act.

PJM Interconnection

The regional grid operator that the legislation aims to hold more accountable.

Maryland Energy Administration

The state agency that will help establish the program to support local clean energy projects.

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What they’re saying

“The Utility RELIEF Act is how we make the system work better for the people — our people —and not the powerful interests that it has worked for for decades.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (wbal.com)

“Maryland families and small-business owners need to have a reduced energy bill. Fundamentally, this legislative package being announced today is about maximizing savings for working families among historic increases in energy consumption and a tightening energy generation market.”

— Bill Ferguson, Maryland Senate President (wbal.com)

“We are also ensuring that data centers pay their fair share for connecting to the grid because we are subsidizing Virginia and Pennsylvania for all the data centers that they have, and that cannot be.”

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

What’s next

The Maryland General Assembly will now consider the Utility RELIEF Act, with the goal of passing the legislation before the end of the current session.

The takeaway

The Utility RELIEF Act represents a concerted effort by Maryland's state leaders to provide immediate relief to residents and businesses facing skyrocketing energy costs, while also taking steps to modernize the state's energy infrastructure and increase accountability for utility companies.