Maryland gas companies should plan for an electrified future, decrease spending, ratepayers’ advocate warns

Natural gas companies in Maryland should slow their spending on new infrastructure amid the state’s turn away from fossil fuels, the state’s advocate for ratepayers has warned in a filing. Maryland’s Office of People’s Counsel, which represents residential utility customers in the state, filed its petition Thursday with the Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates utility operators. The People’s Counsel warned that ratepayers, particularly low-income residents, could be stuck with the price tag of excessive improvements in the state’s gas infrastructure, unless the commission steps in with regulations.