Baltimore Gas & Electric

Natural gas deregulation has been in place in parts of Maryland since 1995. Up until 1999, Maryland-regulated electric utilities were solely responsible for providing electric customers with distribution, intra-state transmission, and supply services. The Maryland General Assembly passed the Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of 1999.

Deregulation means that customers are able to purchase electricity and natural gas from retail energy suppliers or traditional utilities. Essentially, it gives Maryland customers opportunities to choose the energy supplier they would like to use rather than simply buying from their utility company. They can even switch if they find a better plan or rates.

What deregulation doesn’t mean, however, is that there’s no oversight of utilities and energy providers. The Maryland Public Service Commission is responsible for regulating utilities and fielding customer complaints. Visit the PSC’s website for information on how to file a dispute. 

Check out Choose Energy’s resources to learn more about deregulation:

• How do I switch energy providers?
• How do I choose the right electricity plan?
• My bill is too high. What do I do?
• Will I have to pay a deposit?

Utility companies in most states, including Maryland, deliver electricity and natural gas to your home through the power and gas lines that they maintain. You can’t choose your utility company, as it’s based on where you live. Customers should call the utility company when there’s a power or gas outage.

Energy providers, meanwhile, buy energy and resell it to customers. Because Baltimore is a deregulated area, customers can look for the best Baltimore electric rates and gas prices and choose which provider they’d like to use.

Customers can compare BGE electric rates and plans with other providers in their service area. These suppliers include Constellation Energy, Direct Energy, and Spark Energy. 

These choices don’t have to be overwhelming. With Choose Energy’s free, independent marketplace, you can compare rates and providers and sign up for energy plans all in one place. You can easily search by plan type, compare green energy options like solar power, and estimate your monthly bill.

If you’re ready to get started, enter your ZIP code now to start comparing BGE rates in your area.

To report outages or to ask questions about transmission rates if you purchase energy from Baltimore Gas & Electric, contact the company in the following ways:

• Log in to your Baltimore Gas & Electric account.
• For power outages, call 1-877-778-2222.
• For natural gas issues, call 1-877-778-7798.
• For general customer service, call 1-800-685-0123.