Maryland Commission Unveils Gas Choice Website for Residential Customers

The Maryland Public Service Commission on Sept. 29 launched a website for gas supply, supplementing the electricity shopping site unveiled in March. Consumers can make informed choices shop for offers, such as lowest price per therm, environmentally-friendly gas supply, and no monthly or early termination fees. The initiatives are intended to help consumers in making decisions, with shop-and-compare features, information on customers’ rights, list of licensed suppliers, information on incentives or promotions, and educational information to help answer questions.

The new websites add to the recent initiatives the commission has implemented to strengthen customer protections. The commission has established a Compliance and Enforcement Unit within its Consumer Affairs Division to enhance oversight of utilities and third-party suppliers and also enabled posting complaint statistics involving retail energy suppliers online.

Maryland utility customers have the option of enrolling with companies other than their local utility to receive energy services. The commission does not regulate the prices charged by competitive suppliers, but licenses them and oversees their behavior in the marketplace to ensure compliance with the regulations and consumer protections.