The state Public Service Commission yesterday put off recommendations for how to prevent future electricity rate shocks, submitting a report to the General Assembly that summarized testimony on electricity deregulation without offering the solutions some consumer advocates and lawmakers were seeking.
Lawmakers last year ordered the PSC to open a sweeping probe of the industry to reconsider many aspects of deregulation, which critics blame for creating the conditions that led to a 72 percent rate increase for Baltimore Gas and Electric customers. Any changes could affect utility bills for years to come.
Options under study range from allowing utilities to again own regulated power plants to reforming the process by which utilities buy power in the competitive wholesale market. Many critics say flaws in the power procurement process were the primary cause of last year's rate increase.
The report, which was due by Saturday, disappointed some lawmakers and consumer advocates, who were hoping it would lead to more substantial progress in efforts to improve electric regulations.
But it was unclear yesterday whether House and Senate leaders were expecting the current PSC to provide a roadmap to fixing what many consider to be a broken scheme. House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller were unavailable for comment yesterday.
The same legislation calling for the study sought to fire the current commissioners over their handling of the rate increase.
The state's highest court overturned the firings, but Gov.-elect Martin O'Malley and legislative leaders have pledged to oust the commission this year in a way that will survive legal scrutiny.
Given the likelihood that industry reforms may be decided by a different commission, some lawmakers say the General Assembly may give little weight to the report.
"The first thing you have to look at is whether there is public and legislative confidence in this PSC to look at whether we should go back to a regulated environment," said Sen. Thomas M. Middleton, a Charles County Democrat and chairman of the Finance Committee.
"There isn't a whole lot of confidence there, and given that, I'm just as satisfied they didn't make recommendations."
The commission report summarized weeks of testimony submitted by consumer advocates and industry officials.
