Bill > HB674

This bill requires the Public Service Commission, a state agency that regulates utilities, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the full costs and benefits associated with different sources of electricity generation in Maryland. This analysis will examine various electricity generation mixes, including scenarios with current levels of natural gas and nuclear energy, and a significant increase to 8,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy capacity. It will also account for the additional costs needed to address reliability issues and the intermittent nature of offshore wind, specifically by incorporating energy storage solutions. The bill mandates the use of a specific model, the Levelized Full System Cost of Electricity, to evaluate the costs of meeting the state's electricity needs using only natural gas and energy storage, only nuclear energy and energy storage, or only offshore wind and energy storage. Furthermore, the analysis will identify the costs of these energy sources when energy storage is available to mitigate reliability and intermittency challenges. Finally, the Public Service Commission must report its findings and policy recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and the House Environment and Transportation Committee by December 1, 2027, to guide the development of energy sources that offer the lowest costs and greatest benefits to Maryland's electricity consumers.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0674?ys=2026RS