Maryland Governor Launches Lower Bills and Local Power Act
The Moore-Miller administration’s 2026 legislative agenda includes the Lower Bills and Local Power Act (LBLPA), which Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced. The new law includes steps to get money for local sustainable energy projects, update the electric system, and provide Maryland households with more direct rebates on their energy bills.
Moore added,
“Energy policy is about more than megawatts and transmission corridors. It’s about whether families in Maryland can afford to live in their homes.”
“That’s why our government is stepping up to help by lowering Marylanders’ utility bills and funding local projects that make energy more reliable and affordable.”
$200 Million to Cover Rebates and Local Energy Projects
LBLPA is using about $200 million from the state’s Strategic Energy Investment Fund to help Maryland residents deal with increasing energy expenses. This fund reinvests Alternative Compliance Payments from utilities.
Around $100 million will go to Maryland residents as refunds on their power bills. The refunds that will start this autumn are in addition to the $200 million in direct power bill rebates that Moore and the Maryland General Assembly gave out under the Next Generation Energy Act.
The law sets up the Solar and Energy Storage Gap Financing Program to encourage the production of energy in the area. The initiative will provide $70 million to sustainable energy projects. The money will help businesses in the area produce more renewable energy.
Kelly Speakes Backman, head of the Maryland Energy Administration, stated,
“The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to moving as quickly as possible to a more affordable, reliable, clean energy system.”
“Gov. Moore’s new law, his budget, and the executive order he signed in December all have the same goal: to help working families deal with rising energy costs, keep the lights on, and move us toward clean energy.”
Grid Upgrades and Transmission Infrastructure on the Agenda
LBLPA holds utility providers accountable for putting advanced transmission and grid-enhancing technology at the top of their list of things to do when they need to improve the grid’s capacity. This is part of the effort to upgrade Maryland’s transmission infrastructure. Before the Maryland Public Service Commission would let utilities construct new transmission lines, they must show that they can use these technologies without raising prices for customers.
The Maryland Department of Transportation will get $10 million from LBLPA to look at places along state and interstate roads where high-voltage transmission lines and battery storage projects may be built. Maryland may avoid complicated property acquisition and approval procedures by leveraging existing state-owned highway right-of-way.
Katie Thomson, acting secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, stated,
“The Maryland Department of Transportation is a proud partner and supporter of the Moore-Miller Administration’s efforts to modernize the state’s energy grid and lower energy costs.”
“With Gov. Moore’s Lower Bills and Local Power Act, I’m looking forward to working with our state energy partners to find practical solutions that keep Maryland moving toward a more affordable, sustainable future. That’s what the Department does best.”
The governor signed the Building an Affordable and Reliable Energy Future executive order and gave out $200 million in energy rebates. In 2025 alone, he put more than $130 million into clean energy and modernization programs, such as the Decarbonizing Public Schools Program and funding for county government energy modernization.
