Maryland’s utilities are well established in the EV charging market, having received permission from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to own and operate hundreds of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. These utility owned and ratepayer funded chargers are stifling private investment as businesses cannot rationally invest in EV charging services to compete with regulated monopolies on an unlevel playing field.
When the PSC approved the utility EV programs in 2019 a requirement for regular updates from the utilities on the progress and implementation of the programs was put in place with the most recent updates being filed in March of 2024. Information on the utility programs, including the most recent reports, can be found in the docket for Case 9478.
Following the filing of the March 2024 reports, the PSC opened an opportunity for written comments evaluating the utility programs to this point as well as the appropriate role for the utilities within the EV charging sector moving forward. Charge Ahead Partnership submitted comments before this window closed and testified in the May 16 hearing before the PSC. CAP’s comments and testimony encouraged the PSC to ensure that any future participation of utilities in the EV charging market is done so on a level playing field. Additionally, CAP urged the PSC to pursue alternative rate structures that mitigate demand charges and explore other actions that will drive private investment and lead to a more robust and reliable charging network.
In August of 2024 the PSC issued an order which was favorable for the future of Maryland’s EV charging network. The PSC noted the concerns raised about unfair competition with utility-owned charging stations and indicated that they do not anticipate approving more utility-owned public charging stations in Phase II of the utility programs, but may do so in areas determined to be “underserved.” Additionally, in a notable shift, the PSC also ordered the utilities to “cease developing new utility-owned charging stations as part of their Phase I programs, though they may complete construction of charging stations already in development.” The order also directed the PSC’s EV Workgroup to work with the Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland’s Zero Emission EV Infrastructure Council to determine if the state has a process for determining ideal locations for public charging stations and to “develop a process for determining when it is appropriate to permit utility incentives for or ownership of public charging stations.” For a state which had previously approved hundreds of utility owned EV charging stations this order represents a significant step forward.
