Why is my BGE bill so high?

A high Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) bill usually comes down to one of four things: you used more energy, the supply price rose, a delivery charge changed, or a Budget Billing adjustment kicked in. Sort gas from electricity first. Then separate this month’s service charges from your payments and account balance.^1,2

Start with your own bill, including its service dates and charge details. A headline about a proposed rate increase can’t explain a change on an existing account.

If you live in Howard County, check which utility is on your bill. The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) places most of Howard County in BGE’s territory.³ This guide covers BGE accounts.

How do I read this month’s bill against last year’s?

Set the current bill beside one from a similar season, because heating and cooling swing usage. Four items do most of the explaining: the service period, the usage, the price per unit and the account section, which shows payments, credits and any balance carried forward.

The layout is ours. The field definitions come from a state agency’s public bill example (October 2024) and BGE’s residential guide.^4,2 A therm measures gas use, and a kilowatt-hour measures electricity use.¹

Say the electric bill jumped after you added electric heat. Usage is the first suspect. If the gas line is the one that grew, work through the gas section on its own. OPC’s seasonal explainers tie heating and cooling demand to higher usage-based charges, and OPC adds that most of a bill is calculated from usage.¹

Is delivery the biggest line on a BGE bill?

Not necessarily. A BGE electric bill splits into supply, which includes transmission, and delivery, which holds a distribution charge, a fixed customer charge and the EmPOWER surcharge. A rising distribution rate doesn’t mean delivery outweighs supply on your account. In the illustrative 900 kWh example below, supply is about two-thirds of the bill.^3,4

Supply can climb on its own. OPC reports that BGE’s electric supply cost was about 12.5 cents per kWh in summer 2026, up from about 10.2 cents in summer 2025, and that the capacity portion rose in March 2026.¹ Capacity pays for power availability, and energy is the electricity itself.⁵ Those summer figures cover supply alone. They run a little below OPC’s October reference supply rate of 12.962 cents, and transmission adds 2.322 cents on top, which gives the 15.284-cent total in the table below.³ Transmission has more than doubled since 2015, by OPC’s count.¹ Distribution pays for local wires and poles. Our guide on PJM capacity prices and your electric bill explains the capacity piece.

OPC’s BGE page lists these electric reference figures, labeled October 2026. They’re published references, not a quote for your account.³

Don’t add the total-supply row to the supply and transmission rows, because the total already holds both. OPC cautions that base rates can differ from what a bill shows because of adjustments, so your supplier, service period and tariff still matter.³

OPC’s winter explainer identifies delivery increases effective January 1 and February 1, 2026, and says BGE’s electric delivery rate has risen about 33 percent since 2020.⁷ Those changes are separate from the base-rate request covered below.

What is the EmPOWER charge on my bill?

EmPOWER funds energy-efficiency, conservation and demand-reduction programs through a surcharge on customer bills. The charge is volumetric: the more energy you use, the more you pay toward it. OPC’s October 2026 reference for BGE electric customers is $0.01310 per kWh.^1,3

The rate moved in January 2026. For BGE electric customers it went from $0.01028 to $0.01310 per kWh.¹ OPC works the example for a customer using 900 kWh a month, whose EmPOWER charge rose from $9.25 to $11.79, an increase of $2.54 a month.¹ The gas EmPOWER rate fell, from $0.1087 to $0.0712 per therm.¹

Part of the increase pays down an old balance. OPC explains that a 2024 law required regulators to eliminate a large unpaid balance of earlier program costs, which has been gradually paid down through the surcharge after carrying charges built up from around 2008.¹ OPC also says the 2026 Utility RELIEF Act includes a one-time $100 million contribution toward EmPOWER program costs that will lower the surcharge.¹

The state’s billing explanation places the customer charge, the distribution charge and the EmPOWER rider all under BGE delivery.⁴ Calling the whole delivery heading “the wires charge” hides that mix.

Will BGE’s rate case change my bill?

Not yet. BGE has asked the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve a $156.1 million increase in electric base rates (Case No. 9888).⁸ The PSC expects a decision in January 2027, and until then BGE’s current rates are frozen. Supply prices and surcharges such as EmPOWER follow separate processes, so a bill can still move.⁸

The PSC’s October 2 and October 6 releases still describe an open application, with public hearings ahead. When the PSC rules, its order sets any new base rates.

OPC says the 5.8-cent figure includes a reconciliation charge the PSC authorized in 2025, which lasts through December 2027. OPC adds that, if the request were approved, electric distribution rates would be up 58 percent since 2020.³ The OPC testimony is a recommendation to the PSC, not a ruling.

The public can weigh in. As of October 25, 2026, the PSC has scheduled three public comment hearings and a written-comment deadline, all under Case No. 9888.^9,10

1. 1Oct. 26, 2026, 6:30 p.m.Public comment hearing
2. 2Nov. 4, 2026, 6:30 p.m.Public comment hearing
3. 3Nov. 18, 2026, 6:30 p.m.Public comment hearing
4. 4Dec. 23, 2026Written comments due

The PSC’s October 2 notice set the sign-up dates, and its October 6 notice moved the November 18 hearing from virtual to in person. For hearings that have already happened, check the PSC’s news page and docket for the outcome, and confirm times and format before you plan around any date still ahead.^9,10

What does Budget Billing change on my bill?

Budget Billing evens out payments and doesn’t lower energy costs. BGE’s 2022-2023 consumer guide says it sets the payment by averaging your 12 most recent gas and electric bills plus any accumulated imbalance, and reviews accounts during the year. The bill still shows actual charges and the account balance.² Confirm BGE’s current terms; that edition is dated.

If your bill shows a “payoff balance” or a growing balance, split the conversation with BGE into four questions:

1. What payment is due by the date shown?
2. What did this billing period’s energy actually cost?
3. How do charges, payments and adjustments add up to the balance shown?
4. What happens to that balance if I leave Budget Billing or close the account?

Ask BGE to define the field and to put any settlement terms in writing.

One more wrinkle: if you buy from an alternate supplier, the 2022-2023 guide says the Budget Billing amount covers only BGE’s delivery charges, and the supplier’s charges appear as a separate item.² A supplier bill and a BGE payment amount may need reading together.

How do I lower my BGE bill, in the order that pays off?

Match the fix to the cause on the bill. Less consumption cuts usage-based charges, a supply check addresses the contract rate, and payment arrangements change when the money is due. OPC points customers to efficiency programs and help paying bills.^1,11

1. Find the jump. Mark the usage, rate or account line that changed.
2. Check supply. Identify who supplies your electricity and compare that contract with BGE’s published supply information.²
3. Book an energy audit. OPC suggests calling your utility to request a free home energy audit.¹ Confirm the current offer and eligibility first.
4. Deal with payment pressure. OPC’s help with utility bills page lists assistance options.¹¹ Your balance itself comes only from BGE.
5. Look at solar last. Compare your electricity needs with a site-specific proposal, and keep gas charges and old balances out of any claimed electric reduction.

Two hypothetical cases show the logic. If usage held steady but the supplier’s rate rose, compare supply terms. If actual charges held steady but the Budget Billing payment moved, ask for the account reconciliation. Our guide on lowering your electric bill in Maryland goes further.

Will solar lower my BGE bill?

Solar can lower the electric part of a BGE bill, and nothing else. Maryland’s net energy metering statute bills a customer-generator for the net energy the grid supplies in a month. When generation exceeds what the grid supplies, the customer “shall be billed only customer charges for that month.”¹² Gas charges and old balances aren’t part of that math.

The first-come standard net-metering tariff won’t stay open forever. Under the 2026 Utility RELIEF Act (Chapter 353), it closes at the earlier of 3,000 megawatts statewide or July 1, 2027, so ask your utility which enrollment step applies before relying on the terms above.¹²

The usual slip is counting the whole bill. A gas-heated home still has gas costs, a third-party supply contract needs its own review, and a payment balance needs reconciling. New projects need a current eligibility and tariff check, since the rules don’t yet set the terms of any successor program. Our guide on the net-metering successor covers what’s changing.

Backup is a separate question. The U.S. Department of Energy says solar panels alone don’t make a home resilient: grid-connected panels shut down when grid power cuts out, for safety, and powering a home on its own takes a properly configured inverter plus a storage system.¹⁴ Our guide on whether solar panels work in a power outage covers it, and battery storage has its own page.

A residential solar assessment can start from the electric portion of your bill. Bring the bill and your questions about usage to a free consultation or call (301) 953-4140. The solar frequently asked questions page covers the process.

Solar savings and incentive eligibility depend on your roof, your usage, your utility, and your tax situation. Incentive programs change and some have limited funding. We are not tax advisors — we will review your bill with you and tell you what you may qualify for. Confirm any tax credit with a qualified tax professional.

Sources (14)

1. Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, “Why is my summer BGE bill so high?”, https://opc.maryland.gov/Why-is-my-2026-summer-BGE-bill-so-high; undated seasonal page describing 2026, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵

2. BGE, Residential Consumer Reference Guide, 2022-2023 edition (cover date; PDF created August 1, 2022), https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blt6d63a0fbd96baf97/646cbdf35e543c724d01d4d9/ConsumerReferenceGuide_Residential.pdf?branch=prod_alias; billing and Budget Billing sections, read October 25, 2026. General explanation only; check BGE’s current Budget Billing terms. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

3. Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, “Baltimore Gas and Electric”, https://opc.maryland.gov/Consumer-Learning/Utility-Rates-and-Basics/BGE; component figures labeled October 2026, rate-case text including the September 22, 2026 testimony, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸

4. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, “Retail Electric Billing”, https://dnr.maryland.gov/pprp/Documents/Retail_Electric_Billing_Oct2024.pdf; October 2024 public example used for field layout and definitions only, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. PJM Interconnection, “PJM Capacity Market: Promoting Future Reliability”, https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/about-pjm/newsroom/fact-sheets/pjm-capacity-market-promoting-future-reliability-fact-sheet.pdf; January 29, 2025, read October 25, 2026. Basic capacity definition only. ↩

6. Illustrative calculation, run October 2026, with the inputs sourced at ³ and ¹: 900 kWh x ($0.15284 supply plus transmission + $0.04945 distribution + $0.01310 EmPOWER) + $10.00 customer charge = $203.851, rounded to $204, before taxes and adjustments. ↩

7. Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, “Why is my winter BGE bill so high?”, https://opc.maryland.gov/Why-is-my-winter-BGE-bill-so-high; undated seasonal page describing 2026, read October 25, 2026. ↩

8. Maryland Public Service Commission, “BGE Seeks $156 Million Electric Rate Increase”, https://psc.maryland.gov/news/2026/bge-seeks-156-million-electric-rate-increase/; July 6, 2026, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

9. Maryland Public Service Commission, “Maryland Public Service Commission to Hold Three Virtual Public Hearings on BGE Rate Case Application”, https://psc.maryland.gov/news/2026/maryland-public-service-commission-to-hold-three-virtual-public-hearings-on-bge-rate-case-application/; October 2, 2026, read October 25, 2026. Written-comment deadline and case reference. ↩ ↩²

10. Maryland Public Service Commission, “November 18 Public Comment Hearing on BGE Electric Rate Application Changed to In-Person Meeting”, https://psc.maryland.gov/news/2026/november-18-public-comment-hearing-on-bge-electric-rate-application-changed-to-in-person-meeting/; October 6, 2026, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

11. Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, “Get Help”, https://opc.maryland.gov/Get-Help; undated page, read October 25, 2026. Resource directory. ↩ ↩²

12. Maryland General Assembly, Public Utilities Article 7-306(a)(7), (e) and (f)(3)-(4), https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gpu&section=7-306&enactments=false; current statute text, read October 25, 2026. Closing date: Chapter 353 of 2026 (House Bill 1532, Utility RELIEF Act), amending 7-306(d)(1), https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/chapters_noln/Ch_353_hb1532E.pdf; approved May 12, 2026, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

13. U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar Integration: Solar Energy and Storage Basics”, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/solar-integration-solar-energy-and-storage-basics; undated page, read October 25, 2026. ↩

14. U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar and Resilience Basics”, https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/solar-and-resilience-basics; undated page, read October 25, 2026. ↩