For more than a year, BGE (along with other utilities) has encouraged customers facing financial hardship to notify us and local and state agencies of their challenges in paying utility bills so that continuation of service and utility assistance might be provided. The state has taken note of the hardships and is providing $83 Million in Relief Grants for qualifying Maryland Energy Customers (See attached press release). Through this effort, customers do not have to take any action as relief grants will be applied to billing accounts within the next two billing cycles to assist with arrearages. The amounts will vary and will be based on criteria such as outstanding balance and other state-determined criteria such as household income, size, type of dwelling, etc.
As local, state and federal governments work to help families recover from the economic turndown, this one-time grant is tied to the unprecedented challenges the pandemic has caused and will not need to be paid back by customers,