Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) Utility Company
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Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) is a utility company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, that delivers power to more than 1.3 million electric customers and 680,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The service area for electricity covers 2,300 square miles, while the service area for gas covers 800 square miles.
BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, one of the largest energy suppliers in North America. Customers are free to shop for a competitive electric supplier and lower the supply rate on the electric bill. During optimal market conditions, BGE customers can save more than 25% just by switching energy suppliers.
BGE Power Outage
The main responsibility of Baltimore Gas and Electric is to maintain and manage power lines that deliver electricity to homes and businesses within its service area. If you change electric suppliers and experience a power outage, then you will still need to contact BGE. The utility company is responsible for resolving all power issues when the lights go out. Thanks to greater investments into upgrading the power grid, potential power outages can usually be detected and diverted before they can occur.
- Baltimore Gas and Electric Power Outage Number: 1-877-778-2222
- Baltimore Gas and Electric Customer Service Number: 1-800-685-0123
BGE Price to Compare
BGE is required by the Maryland Public Service Commission to provide a default rate for supply services to their customers that decide not to switch over to an alternate electric supplier. The default rate for supply services is known as the price to compare. The price to compare is often not competitive and can change throughout the year. BGE customers shopping for an alternate electric supplier can use the price to compare to determine their energy savings. If an electric supplier is offering a supply rate lower than the price to compare, then the customer will be saving by switching to the new energy supplier.
BGE Billing Options
Baltimore Gas and Electric customers can select between several billing options. Electric bills coming through the mail can often get lost or overlooked. Misplacing a bill can lead to missed payments and late charges. Customers can now get help in avoiding this along with help managing payments by one of the two options below:
- Paperless eBill – Avoid the hassle of dealing with paper bills with the option of receiving and paying the bill online. Customers will receive an email notification when the bill is ready to be viewed online and will also be able to access past payments.
- Budget Billing – Budget billing allows customers to control their monthly energy costs. The program charges customers based on energy usage from the past 12 months. This allows customers to know exactly how much they will be charged so they can plan accordingly.
BGE Energy Savings
The summer months can lead to extra demand for power during the peak hours of the day. The extra load in the power grid system can lead to power outages and rolling blackouts. To prevent this, BGE is offering customers a chance to earn bill credits by signing up for Energy Savings Days. Participants will receive a text, email, or call alerting of a Savings Day event. Customers who choose to lower their usage between 1 pm and 7 pm will earn $1.25 for every kilowatt-hour saved. The best way to conserve energy during these days is by setting the thermostat to 78 degrees.
Baltimore Gas and Electric Solar Power
Customers living in the BGE service area can take advantage of renewable energy through solar panels. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar makes up nearly one-third of the state’s renewable electricity generation and has significantly increased in recent years. There are two options available to residents who wish to take advantage of solar power.
- Private Solar – Generate electricity directly from your home and help cut down on emissions when you install solar panels. Solar panels may even increase your property’s value! Find a qualified contractor and have the solar system connected directly to the power grid. Upon approval, BGE will issue the customer a Permission to Operate (PTO). Any surplus of power uploaded to the grid will be rewarded with bill credits.
- Community Solar – If you’re worried about heavy equipment being installed on your home, then you can still take advantage of solar through a community solar farm. The Community Solar Pilot Program will allow subscribers to receive bill credits for the portion of energy that is generated through the Community Solar Energy Generating System, known as CSEGS.
Energy Choice in Maryland
The Maryland Public Service Commission took steps to deregulate the energy market in 1999 with the passage of the Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act. This Act unbundled the responsibilities of the utility companies and opened the door to outside energy suppliers to begin offering supply services to residents of Maryland. The main responsibility of the utility companies became to manage the power lines that deliver electricity to customers. Selecting an electric supplier for power generation was now left up to the customer. The deregulated section on the electric bill makes up the supply charge. Lowering the supply rate can lead to significant savings on energy bills.
Choose an Electric Supplier
Electric suppliers that provide supply services in the state must be licensed by the Maryland Public Service Commission. There are well over a dozen licensed energy suppliers that provide quality service in the state. With so many energy suppliers how do you know which one to select? Selecting the right supplier has a lot to do with the type of energy plan you go with. The most common energy products include fixed, variable, and 100% renewable energy.
ElectricRateSelect.com offers a price comparison platform that allows customers to easily compare electric suppliers and choose the right one. We have a team of qualified energy advisors with more than 10 years of combined experience in the energy sector. We will be happy to walk you through the process and answer any questions you have. Feel free to reach out to one of our customer representatives today.