Residents Sound Off on Pepco Rate Increase in Rockville Hearing (VIDEO)
To Jean Sperling of Chevy Chase, Pepco’s energy-efficiency programs save her more than the $7.37 a month her electricity bill would likely increase under a proposed rate hike.
“Based upon a value for my buck theory, I support this increase,” Sperling said Wednesday night at a Rockville hearing on the proposed rate increase before the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Sperling also praised Pepco’s improved reliability.
But to Ellen Ryan of Rockville, reliability is still an issue.
“Reliability has crept up slightly over a few years back, but of course a few years back, Pepco reliability was in the lowest quartile. It could hardly get any worse,” Ryan said.
About a dozen people testified at the hearing before the PSC, which had held a hearing Monday night in Prince George’s County over Pepco’s proposed rate increase.
The PSC is expected to rule on the rate proposal later this year.
Pepco is seeking a 5.5 percent increase, which would cost the increase the average monthly bill to its 566,000 customers about $7.37. The rate hike would raise a total of $68.6 million.
The hearing also drew testimony from Gaithersburg Councilmember Michael Sesma, who faulted Pepco for not working with the city to switch its streetlights to less expense LED models. Two county councilmembers — Council President Roger Berlinger and Councilmember Marc Elrich — both testified against the rate increase.
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