Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) announced a rebate program for utility bill payments on Monday as part of his latest effort to lower energy costs for Marylanders.
Moore was joined by fellow Democrats Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones and state Senate President Bill Ferguson at Randallstown Community Center to announce an energy rebate that is part of the Next Generation Energy Act, which took effect on July 1.
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This announcement comes as the cost of living is a persistent issue for voters across the nation, specifically, concerns about the rising cost of energy. According to left-wing think tank Data for Progress, 60% of voters reported paying more for electric bills compared to last year. A PowerLines poll conducted with Ipsos shows that “three out of four Americans, across party lines, say they are worried about rising utility bills.”
Jones said the state would make $200 million available in direct energy rebates to lower energy bills. This funding increased for the Strategic Energy Investment Fund after receiving over 156,000 energy assistance applications last fiscal year; more than 117,000 were approved for benefits.
“While corporate greed continues to drive up energy costs for Marylanders, our administration is fighting to bring prices down,” Moore said last month in a press release.
Ferguson declared that every Maryland household will receive two bill credits equivalent to about $40 per utility bill. The Senate president said the first credit is expected to come as the summer closes and another in the cold months, around January or February, as heating bills are expected to be high.
This announcement comes after Moore signed legislation in 2023 to allow more eligibility for energy assistance. Automatic eligibility is allowed for those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or who receive income-based veterans benefits.
ELECTRICITY PRICES ROSE FURTHER IN AUGUST AS TRUMP BLAMES RENEWABLES
The Energy Information Administration estimated that average residential electricity prices in the U.S. will jump from $0.1648 per kilowatt-hour in 2024 to around $0.1790 per kilowatt-hour next year.
As prices continue to rise, clean energy advocates insist that renewables are not to blame, arguing that some states with the cheapest electricity have built large amounts of wind and solar power. EIA data compiled by American Clean Power show that the top 10 states with the largest share of renewables in their energy makeup have seen significantly smaller electricity price hikes over the last year than the national average (a roughly 2.5% increase).