Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers who have not paid their bills may face service cutoff after July 15, 2026. However, the company will not shut off power during high heat conditions, which are defined as a 3-day forecast with a 95°F heat index threshold or National Weather Service/Maryland Department of Health declared heat emergencies.
Assistance Programs Available
For those facing service cut-off due to non-payment, Marylanders have multiple avenues of assistance. Laurel Peltier, chair of the Maryland Energy Advocates Coalition, stated that many Marylanders qualify for programs to help them pay their energy bills, but they must act soon to keep their power on. In 2025, only about 30% of eligible households applied for energy assistance grants.
BGE has taken proactive measures to help customers prepare for the moratorium lift. The company has notified customers that turn-off notices would be mailed to them, has had a banner on their website for several weeks, and is making phone calls to customers who have not paid their bills to try to make payment arrangements and other help.
In addition to the assistance mentioned above, BGE is expanding other customer support options. Customers can get financial assistance through state programs, find information on BGE’s self-service Assistance Finder, make payment arrangements, or get due-date extension eligibility information on the utility’s website. Most of these resources can be found on BGE’s “Here to Help” page.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
