The Baltimore City Council is looking into creating a municipal electric utility to provide a more reasonable rate than the current service providers offer. They adopted a resolution in July to have the Department of Finance identify US$150,000 to fund a request for proposals for qualified engineering and law firms to perform a preliminary feasibility study. The city expects such a study to include: an analysis of the types of electric purchasing and risk tolerance to consumers; an in-depth comparison of aggregation options; a study of the leverage and cost of adding green energy to purchases; an investigation of legal authority; licensure approval and regulation requirements of the Public Service Commission (PSC); and the need for a local ordinance to establish an enterprise fund and utility.

Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.'s 72% rate increase prompted a special session of the Maryland legislature, and in June, lawmakers approved a bill that held the rate increase to 15% for 11 months and dismissed all five members of the Maryland PSC, which has filed suit to challenge the new law.