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REAL & RESA Sound Alarm Regarding Maryland’s Proposed Anti-Consumer/Business/Environment Bill
Excerpts from RESA Press Release:
The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), the nation’s leading trade association representing competitive retail energy suppliers, announces its concern about the serious implications Senate Bill 1/House Bill 267 (SB1) will have for Maryland consumers, businesses, and workers should it become law.
The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Malcolm Augustine and Del. Brian Crosby with the promise to protect constituents in the State of Maryland from paying high energy prices. However, as written, SB1 will end up doing the opposite. Not only will it make it nearly impossible for retail suppliers to conduct business in Maryland, but it will effectively kill the market, leading to no choices for residential consumers, lost savings and higher prices from the utilities, and hardworking Marylanders losing their jobs.
“While this bill has been touted as a consumer protection bill, it is just the opposite. It is harmful to the very consumers it purports to want to protect,” said Jay Harpole, Chief Executive Officer at APG&E. “If passed, this bill would harm consumers, businesses and the environment while simultaneously hurting competition and costing jobs.”
“IGS has invested millions in developing solar projects throughout the state, and passage of SB1 will signal to the energy community that now is not the time to invest in Maryland,” said Scott White, President and CEO, IGS Energy.
Excerpts from REAL Letter to Maryland’s Governor:
We are writing to express our deep concern with Senate Bill 1/House Bill 267. As currently drafted, and contrary to how it is being positioned, this bill is anti-consumer, anti-business, and anti-environment. If passed, it will drive business out of Maryland, drive up the cost of energy, and take choice away from Maryland consumers.
We urge you to prevent this legislation from becoming law. The legislation reflects a misapprehension of the energy industry, and well-established business practices of companies that have responsibly served Maryland consumers for many years. Above all it does not reflect your goals for Maryland. If you sign this bill, Fortune 500 companies, like NRG and Constellation, as well as many other reputable suppliers like the undersigned, will view the Maryland consumer market as essentially closed for business. Ironically, in an attempt to clean up the market, the legislation could simply leave it with only the worst actors.
