Overview
- Baltimore’s Board of Estimates voted Wednesday to end the 2023 conduit agreement with Baltimore Gas & Electric and set the rent that utilities pay for the city’s 700‑mile underground conduit network at $4.05 per linear foot starting Jan. 1, 2027.
- City officials say the nearly doubled fee will provide steady funding for proactive manhole rehabilitation, expanded inspection and monitoring, and obstruction repairs to address public‑safety concerns in the aging system.
- BGE strongly opposes the change, warned customers could see higher bills if the utility seeks recovery, and estimated a preliminary impact of roughly $1 to $2 a month for the average customer while the PSC will make any final rate decision.
- The 2023 four‑year deal required BGE to deliver about $134 million in capital upgrades and $1.5 million a year in maintenance; the company says it rebuilt 20 manholes and installed 35 new ones under that agreement.
- Regional business groups, county officials and other users filed letters opposing the move, and the next steps include potential filings at the Maryland Public Service Commission that will determine whether and how added conduit costs are passed to customers.