Advocates for consumers and low-income residents disagreed with the companies about how much these plans would cost them. Czarski said that companies seeking "cost recovery" should file a case with the commission so the new charges could be examined in context with other expenses.
A commission attorney recommended that companies charge late fees rather than interest. Commission staff members also recommended against rate changes that would affect all customers.
"The cost of the plan should be paid by the beneficiaries," said PSC assistant staff counsel Annette Garafalo.
Charging late fees "brings it back to each individual customer without burdening any other party that only benefits that particular customer," said Philip Vanderheyden, director of the PSC's electricity division.
Czarski and Baltimore Chief Solicitor Matthew Nayden pointed out that companies would ultimately benefit from collecting some money from customers rather than terminating them and absorbing the cost of the unpaid bills.
BY THE NUMBERS
* 208,000 BGE customers have outstanding balances ranging from two days to several months
* 84,000 BGE customers are in danger of getting a termination notice
* 100,000 Pepco customers risk a termination notice
* 40,000 Delmarva Power and Light customers are in collections
* 98 percent pay their bill after getting a cutoff notice
Source: Utility companies
