Residents across the DMV are pushing back against high utility prices

Communities in Maryland and DC are voicing their opposition to ever-increasing price hikes from their electric and gas utilities, as of late. After a cold winter, some residents saw their bills more than double, prompting outcry to social media, community leaders, and more. 

Local media (and advocacy groups like We Power DC) warned that a 5% price hike was going into effect, but didn’t not expect the utilities to pass along sky-high costs so flippantly. Now, lawmakers in Maryland are demanding the rate hike be reversed and frozen, while Pepco was pressured to waive late fees.

What does this tell us? The people are fed up. We are tired of being fleeced by mega-corporations that deliver the same product for higher and higher prices. These utilities have skated on raising their delivery fees without innovating their business model. They have postponed energy efficiency, smart capital investment, and sound long-term planning.

These rate hikes are rewarding bad business and greedy shareholders. Why should we be on the hook to pay?