Consumer FAQs

The Commission regulates gas, electric, gas and electric, telephone, for-profit water and sewage companies, and common carriers, such as charter bus, van and limousine companies transporting persons for hire within Maryland, taxicabs in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Hagerstown and Cumberland, and rideshare (also known as Transportation Network Companies), such as Uber and Lyft.

Additionally, the Commission has authority to license gas and electric suppliers; adopt complaint procedures; and establish consumer protection standards concerning contracting, enrollment and the marketing of supplier services.

Use these links to find the resources you need on the MD PSC web site or other web sites:

• Regulations
• Tariffs, which include the utility’s rates and general terms and conditions, are accessible from the utility’s website. Any questions about tariffs must be made to the utility. If your questions are not addressed to your satisfaction you may send an inquiry to the Commission using the online complaint portal or in writing to: Consumer Affairs Division, Maryland Public Service Commission, 6 St. Paul Street, 15th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; fax: (410) 333-6844.
• Commission orders or other material from a case file can be downloaded here. If you are having trouble finding the document you are looking for, please call the Commission’s Docket Room at (410) 767-8080. There is a $0.50 cents per page charge for copying documents.

The Commission’s proceedings, including public comment hearings, are still being held virtually. More information on changes to the Commission’s operations due to COVID-19, can be found here. If you wish to speak at a public hearing, you may sign up to speak based on the instructions contained in the hearing notice. It may be necessary for the presiding officer to limit the amount of time for each person’s presentation due to time restrictions, or the number of speakers.

If you are unable to attend an in-person or virtual public hearing or meeting, but wish to express your opinion on a particular matter, you may send your written comments to:
Andrew S. Johnston, Executive Secretary
Maryland Public Service Commission
6 Saint Paul Street, 16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202-6806

Please note the case number you are commenting on. The Commission does not respond to written comments. However, a copy of the written comments are recorded and maintained in the correspondence file. Consumers who have an inquiry or dispute that needs an investigation can file a dispute with the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division.

First, you must contact the utility company, electricity supplier, or gas supplier to try to resolve the problem. They are required by law to assist you. If you are not satisfied with the company’s action, you may file a complaint with the Consumer Affairs Division (CAD). (See Complaint Procedures)

CAD can investigate your inquiry or dispute if it concerns:

• Utility rates and charges;
• A proposed or recent turn-off of service;
• Responsibility for a bill;
• A request for a deposit;
• Telephone “slamming“;
• Refusal of service by a utility;
• The quality and type of utility service;
• Electric and/or gas supplier disputes;
• A utility’s policies and procedures;
• Utility meter, line or equipment installations.

CAD cannot help with inquiries or disputes concerning a matter that does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission. See referral information on matters that fall outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction.

After you file your complaint with CAD, the utility (or supplier) is contacted for information about your account. If it is discovered that you never contacted the company about your problem, or you contacted CAD without the company finishing its investigation, you may be notified by CAD that your dispute is withdrawn. This is because the Commission’s dispute regulations require you to bring your dispute to the company first. A consumer’s contact to CAD should not be the first time that the company is hearing about your problem. By the time CAD gets involved in a dispute, there should already have been an investigation by the company.

If after a dispute is withdrawn and you are still not satisfied with the company’s response, you can re-submit the dispute to CAD for a response. At that time you should include with your filing a copy of the company’s response (if in writing) and you should explain in your own words why you are not satisfied with the company. You should also provide whatever documents you have (i.e., copies of bills, proof of payment(s), copy of the supplier’s contract, etc.) that will support your case. If you file your dispute using the Commission’s online complaint portal, you can fax the additional information to (410) 333-6844. If you send a fax you should also include your complaint number (starting with MPSC#) that had been assigned to you.

CAD is a dispute resolution office, not a consumer advocacy office. CAD will provide free dispute resolution services to utility customer account holders and applicants for regulated utility service. This includes disputes against gas and electric suppliers. After receipt of an inquiry, CAD will initiate a review and an investigation to resolve the matter that includes:

• Obtaining information from the utility (or supplier) and customer;
• Providing an opportunity for the company and customer to each respond in writing to the position or information provided to CAD by the other party;
• Reviewing applicable statutes, regulations, and tariffs; and if appropriate,
• Mediate between the parties to help reach a resolution.

CAD will provide its determination to you in writing and also include your right to request further review if you are not satisfied. The company also has a right to seek further review if the decision is not favorable to the company.

At the time you file your dispute you are required to state the amount that is disputed and why you feel the bill is incorrect. A customer may withhold payment of the disputed amount while the dispute is under investigation by either the utility or the Commission. However, a customer cannot stop paying their bill altogether. Also a customer cannot dispute future bills. A utility may require that you pay the undisputed portion of a bill and all future bills while resolution or disposition of a dispute or inquiry is pending. The utility may terminate your service if you fail to pay the undisputed portion of your bill.

The utility cannot terminate your service while your dispute is pending if you are paying the undisputed bills and keeping up on payment of your future bills. However, if you fail to pay the undisputed bills and/or do not keep up on your current bills, the utility can terminate your service provided that the utility sends you notice at least 14 days in advance (45 days during COVID).

Most utilities will require that you give them at least 72 hours notice to start, stop or transfer service. You can make your request by calling the utility or by completing an application form. Most utilities now have an application form on their website. The utility may allow more than one individual to be listed on the account. All persons who are listed on the account will be responsible for payment of the bill.

A utility may accept either a written or verbal applications for service. Each verbal application for service is to be confirmed in writing by the utility. The utility may require that you provide:

• Your name, address, home and work telephone numbers, and employer of the customer of record;
• The address of the premises for which service is requested and date you are starting service;
• A mailing address and telephone number of the customer of record if that person is not an occupant of the premises for which service is requested;
• The customer of record’s former electric service address and the date customer moved, if applicable; and
• The date of birth, driver’s license number and other identifying information for the applicant/customer of record.

It is your responsibility to notify the utility when you want service in your name to stop. Failure to contact the utility may result in additional billing in your name even after you leave the premise. The utility will continue to hold you responsible for this billing until you notify them or until a new customer contacts them to apply for service in their name. When you call to discontinue service, you will be required to provide the utility with an address to mail your final bill, which will be clearly noted as a final bill. Any deposit that the utility had on your account will be returned to you.

Your utility may bill you a service application or installation charge to start service. The amount charged is regulated by the Public Service Commission. This is a non-fundable fee and is only billed once to recover the utility’s initial startup costs. In addition the utility may request a cash deposit to begin service. The deposit will earn interest as long as it is held by the utility. The deposit and interest will be returned to you after you have secured a good payment history, or when you contact the utility to stop service.

A utility may refuse to provide you service if you are a former customer and you did not pay your bill for prior service. The utility may also refuse you service if any fraud is involved, such as:

• Service was applied in a fictitious name, in the name of an individual who is not an occupant of the premises, or in the name of a third party without you disclosing this to the utility or having that person’s approval;
• If you fail to disclose a material fact or you misrepresent information to the utility;
• If you are living with co-occupants who owe a bill for that dwelling unit (or a previous dwelling unit) and you have been co-occupying the service with them; or,
• If you are assisting another occupant of a dwelling unit to avoid payment of that occupant’s prior outstanding bill.

A customer is responsible for payment of all past-due, current, and future bills for service provided to the customer. However, a utility may not refuse service to you for nonpayment of an outstanding bill that is over seven years old, unless you signed an agreement to pay the outstanding bill before the expiration of this period, or the outstanding bill was for service that you obtained fraudulently.

In order to establish credit, a utility may require an applicant for residential or non-residential service to pay a cash deposit as a condition for starting service. If you are transferring service or opening a second account, the utility may also request that you pay a cash deposit. Finally, if you are an existing customer, the utility may require that you pay a deposit if you failed to pay a bill by the expiration date of a termination of service notice. If the service has been terminated, the utility may also require that you pay the outstanding bill and a reasonable reconnection charge.

The utility may not charge a deposit that is less than $5 or more than 2/12 of the estimated charges for service for the ensuing 12 months if the utility bills monthly. They can charge an amount equal to 3/12 of the estimated charge for service if they bill quarterly. In most cases, a deposit is equal to two months of billed service. If the utility determines that the actual billing is substantially different from the estimated charge for service, then the amount of the deposit may be adjusted to the applicable proportion of the actual billing.

The deposit required by the utility may not be less than $5, and it may not be more than the maximum estimated charge for service for two consecutive billing periods, or 90 days, whichever is less, or as may reasonably be required by the utility in cases involving service for short periods or special occasions.

The utility is not required to provide residential customers an installment plan for the payment of deposits that are $50 or lower. If the deposit is under $150, the utility is to give you the option to pay the required amount over a period of at least eight (8) weeks. If the deposit is over $150, the utility is to give you at least 12 weeks to pay the amount owed. For non-residential customers, the utility is to give at least eight (8) weeks to pay a deposit that is $100 or more.

For all customers, the utility is required to apply your deposit and accrued interest to your final bill when you discontinue service, and refund the balance, if any, to you. A transfer of service from one premise to another within the utility service area is not deemed a discontinuance of service. If you have not discontinued service, the utility will return your deposit when you have obtained a “good payment record”. A residential customer is considered having a good payment record if they have paid bills for service for 12 months following payment of the deposit without having had service discontinued for non-payment or without having had more than two occasions in which a bill was not paid when it became due, and the customer is not delinquent in the payment of bills. The utility will return a non-residential deposit if the customer has paid bills for service for the first four years of service following payment of the deposit without having had service discontinued for nonpayment of bills within the last two years. If a customer does not meet the conditions, the utility will review the account every 12 months, and refund the deposit plus accrued interest when the customer has met these standards.

The utility is required to apply simple per annum interest on a deposit beginning on the date of receipt of the deposit by the utility. A customer may request that the utility pay them the interest annually. Otherwise, the utility is required to pay the interest at the time the deposit is returned.

An individual 60 years old or older applying only for residential service is exempt from any cash deposit requirement if the individual presents satisfactory proof of:

• Age;
• Intent to be the primary consumer of the service as evidenced by lease, mortgage, rental agreement, or title to the dwelling unit to be served being maintained in the name of the applicant;
• The absence of any outstanding bill owed to a utility for service.

There are some exceptions for paying a cash deposit, such as furnishing a guaranty satisfactory to the utility to secure payment of bills. Also a non-residential customer may be able to furnish an irrevocable commercial letter of credit, or secure a bond drawn against an insurance company acceptable to the utility to secure payments of bills for the service requested in an amount not to exceed the amount of cash deposit. You should contact the utility to discuss the options available to you in lieu of a cash deposit.

The utility must refrain from terminating service for an additional 30 days for upon notice that a customer or occupant has a serious medical condition. Upon receipt of the termination notice, if you or an occupant in the household has a serious illness and/or is in need of life support equipment, it is your responsibility to notify the utility before the termination notice expires, and before the service is terminated. The utility may require that your doctor, a certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant complete a Commission-approved form to certify a serious illness or the need for life support equipment.

A physician or the customer may initially contact the utility of the intent to obtain certification. However, the required certificate is to be forwarded to the utility not later than the day before the scheduled date for termination of service. Upon notification, the utility will withhold termination for an additional 30 days. During that time, you are required to promptly enter into an agreement with the utility for the payment of the unpaid bills and current amounts due for service. It is important to note that the utility is authorized to pursue collection procedures (that include disconnecting your service) if you fail to adhere to the payment plan.

Between November 1 and March 31 a gas and/or electric utility may not terminate service to occupants of residential buildings for nonpayment of bills unless the utility first certifies to the Commission by an affidavit, filed at least 24 hours before the termination, that the termination does not constitute a threat to the life or health of the residential occupants. Once an affidavit has been filed, it is valid for 12 days after the most recent personal contact with the customer was made or attempted.

In addition, there are temporary restrictions in the winter and summer for extreme weather conditions. During the winter months, a utility may not terminate service because of nonpayment to any customer in a utility’s designated weather station area if the forecast temperature at 6 a.m. is 32 degrees F or below. In the summer, a utility may not terminate either gas service that is used for cooling if the customer has notified the gas utility of that usage, or electric service, because of nonpayment, if the temperature forecast made for the utility’s weather station area at 6 a.m. is 95 degrees F or above.

The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP), within the Maryland Department of Human Services, is available to help consumers who need help with paying their winter heating and/or yearly electric bills. Consumers may apply for the Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) for help with their heating bill (gas, electric or oil). Payments are made directly to the customer’s fuel provider or utility company one time per year.

In addition, consumers may apply for the Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP). This program provides assistance dollars that are applied to reduce future electric bills. The consumer is required to participate in budget billing to receive this grant. The grant is available once per program year. Consumers may also be eligible for help with past due electric bills provided they had not received arrearage retirement assistance within the past seven years. For more information, including the income eligibility requirements, contact OHEP.

The Fuel Fund of Maryland is also an assistance resource. The Fuel Fund pays a portion of an eligible customer’s outstanding bill—the customer is responsible for paying the rest. Customers must have received all other government and program help first before contacting Fuel Fund. Households can receive help from Fuel Fund once every 12 months.

If customers receive a termination notice, they must first contact the utility company to request an extension and/or a payment arrangement. Often if a customer contacts the utility before the notice expires, the utility will try to work with the customer as long as they are able to make a reasonable offer to pay what is owed. CAD is not a consumer advocacy office, but will refer customers to OHEP and Fuel Fund, and may suggest additional places for customers to contact.

CAD staff is available Monday through Friday, except holidays, between 9 a.m.-Noon and 1-4 p.m. To reach CAD, call toll-free at 1-800-492-0474, option #3 then press #1 or call (410) 767-8028, press #1. You can also file an online request for an extension and/or payment arrangement through our website.

If gas and/or electric service has been turned off, first contact the utility to find out what payment is required to have service restored. The utility, by law, can require that a customer pay the entire past due bill, a reconnection fee, and part of a deposit as a condition to restore service. If unable to pay this amount, customers should seek assistance from OHEP first. If qualified for assistance, the MEAP grant can be used to pay off the arrearage.

In addition, customers should apply for EUSP. This program provides assistance dollars that are applied to reduce future electric bills. Customers are required to participate in budget billing to receive this grant. In addition, customers may be eligible for help with past due electric bills provided they had not received arrearage retirement assistance within the past seven years.

Finally, customers should apply for the Utility Service Protection Program (USPP). As a USPP participant, service can be reconnected between November 1 and March 31 without paying a reconnection fee and deposit. For more information about these programs, including the income eligibility requirements, contact OHEP.

After applying for these grants and there is still not enough to have service reconnected, customers should contact the Fuel Fund of Maryland. The Fuel Fund pays a portion of an eligible customer’s outstanding bill—the customer is responsible for paying the rest. Customers must have received all other government and program help first before contacting Fuel Fund. Households can receive help from Fuel Fund once every 12 months. Additional referral information is provided.

First, contact the utility company, electricity supplier, or gas supplier to try to resolve the problem. The company is required by law to assist you. If you are not satisfied with the company’s action, you may file a complaint with the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division (CAD). (See Complaint Procedures.) Your complaint will be forwarded to the utility company for investigation and response.

The utility company provides CAD with information about your account to determine whether or not there is an obvious reason for the high bills. Often the utility will include a meter reading history or furnish copies of bills (if not supplied by the customer) so they can be examined. The CAD specialist will review the information that includes the utility’s written response to determine if there was an obvious reason for the high bill, like colder temperatures. CAD may require that the utility test your meter to ensure that it is operating accurately. The utility is only responsible for ensuring that your usage has been recorded properly and is registering accurately on a meter that has been approved by the PSC. CAD’s determination will be based on the accuracy of your meter and the meter readings.

The utility can only measure the consumption of gas or electricity through an accurate meter. There are numerous variables which determine the amount of gas or electricity consumed at a residence, such as the efficiency of the heating/cooling systems and the appliances, the size of a residence, the home’s insulation, the outside temperature, and the consumption patterns of the customer setting the thermostat. Therefore, utilities are not required to determine how the service was used, just if it was used and recorded by an accurate meter. Your utility’s website may have tips for conserving energy as well as information on energy efficiency and conservation programs that are available to you, including home energy audits.

If you suspect that your high bill may be due to your meter not registering your consumption accurately, then you may ask the utility to test your meter. The Code of Maryland Regulations (“COMAR”) states that “upon request by a customer and at no charge, the utility shall make a test of the accuracy of registration of the meter serving him, provided that these tests need not be made more frequently than once in 18 months.” COMAR also states that you (or your representative) may be present when the meter is tested. The results of the test shall be provided to you within a reasonable time after completion of the test and the utility must retain a record of the test for at least three years.

If you do not want the utility to perform the meter test, you may submit a request for the Public Service Commission to conduct a referee test through the Commission’s website. There is a $10.00 charge for the referee test. You will be required to register before you have access to the Referee Test System. As part of the registration process, you will need to provide an email address, your name, address and telephone number. If you already have a complaint filed with CAD, you can enter the complaint number to speed up the registration process. After you are registered you will receive an email confirmation that includes instructions for submitting your payment to the PSC. The referee test is not scheduled until payment is made.

Customers who do not have access to a computer may send a written referee test request to the Public Service Commission’s Engineering Division. Your written request must include your name, address, daytime telephone number, name of your utility company and type of meter to be tested (gas or electric). You will be contacted by a Commission representative to schedule the test. Your written request must be accompanied by a $10.00 check or money order made payable to the Public Service Commission. You should address your request to:

Maryland Public Service Commission
Engineering Division
William Donald Schaefer Tower
6 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-6806

If the results of the referee test reveal that the meter is not measuring electricity consumption within the PSC’s prescribed 98%-102% accuracy requirements, then a billing adjustment will be warranted for your account. Your $10.00 payment will also be refunded to you. However, if the referee test confirms your electric meter is operating within the PSC’s accuracy requirements, then no adjustment will be made to your account, and the PSC will retain the $10.00 fee.

You are responsible for paying your bill every month, whether the reading was estimated on based on an actual meter reading. If the reading is estimated, the utility must denote on the bill form that the reading is estimated, and the utility should have a record internally to indicate the reason for the estimate. If the estimates are due to no access to the meter, you should check to see if your utility can install a remote meter reading device that will allow them to read the meter remotely without having to gain access to the meter. If this is not an option, then you can obtain meter reading cards and/or phone in your reading to your utility. If the estimate is way out of line with your normal usage, you can request that the utility cancel the bill. However, if you do this just remember that the next bill will cover a two month period.

The PSC is unable to assist a customer with getting their power restored faster than other customers during power outages. If you lose power, first contact your electric utility to report the outage. If the outage is the result of a severe storm, then it is possible that there is widespread damage throughout the utility’s service territory. If this is the case, the utility may have to physically assess the damage before they can begin any restoration efforts.

As with any power outage, the electric utility’s priority will be with safety and large numbers. Medical and emergency services (like 911 call centers, police and fire stations) receive first priority in addition to restoring power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time.

Next, the utility will repair main power lines and equipment to restore the most customers at once. This is followed by restoring service to individual transformers and smaller lines to individual homes and businesses.

Current Storm Outage Information and Other Resources

Unfortunately it is not possible for electric utilities to provide priority restoration to special needs customers when there are outages. It is the special needs customer’s responsibility to have an emergency back-up plan (such as a portable generator, battery backup for medical equipment, or identify places they can re-locate in extreme emergencies.) Special needs customers may get a phone call from their utility prior to a pending storm if the utility is expecting that the storm may cause widespread outages.

Special needs customers may also receive extra notice for any scheduled planned outage so that they can be prepared. Also, if the special needs customer contacts the utility about a termination notice, they may receive up to 30 additional days to pay the bill and/or enter into a payment plan. For more information about your utility’s special needs program, please contact your utility.

The utility is required to plan interruptions at a time that will not cause unreasonable inconvenience to customers and, if feasible, provide adequate notice to those who will be affected. Many planned interruptions are overnight or during the day when most customers are at work or in school. Planned interruptions are needed in order for the utility to perform emergency work and other repairs so that the system continues to work safely and reliably.

If the work needed is due to emergency repairs, chances are the utility is not able to provide written notice in advance. If notice is provided, the utility will normally include the date and the time when the planned outage will occur. Often the utility will allow for more time than what is actually needed to do the work, and the work will be done “weather permitting”. If you received notice about a planned outage and you have any questions, you should contact the utility for more information. The utility does not file notice of planned outages to the Public Service Commission.

The utility is not required to reimburse you except for outages/surges unless they were caused by willful default or neglect. This is a legal term that may need to be decided by the courts. Limitations of liability or damages for power outages and interruptions are exceedingly common in the electric utility industry. It is expected that there will be outages due to storms, tree and wildlife interference, equipment failure, or other reasons. Also, intermittent (split-second) power interruptions are caused by an automatic reclosing device (breaker) reacting normally to transient fault conditions at some point along the circuit.) Faults can occur when tree limbs, animals, or something else make contact with the company’s equipment. The utility’s equipment is designed to disconnect service temporarily if there is a fault, resulting in a surge. If the problem is not cleared itself off the line after the third time, the equipment will lock out, disconnecting the electric service completely.

Typically, utilities cannot be held liable for damage caused by these events absent gross negligence or willful misconduct. Most utilities have language in their tariffs (approved by the Commission), which will limit the utilities’ liability for outages unless they were caused by willful default or neglect. Finally, it should be noted that the Commission lacks the authority of the courts to resolve claims for compensatory or punitive damages. For these reasons, the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) may refer a customer with a damage dispute to their insurance carrier or the courts for relief.

All electric and gas suppliers are required to be licensed by the Public Service Commission. If a supplier contacts you, ask for the supplier’s license number or confirm if a supplier is licensed by checking the Commission’s energy choice websites for electricity or gas. There you can search for the names and contact information of all licensed suppliers or just those that are making offers to new customers.

Electric and gas supplier rates are not regulated by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Residential customers can shop for electric and/or gas supply by visiting MDEnergyChoice.com and link to either or both shopping websites. Commercial and industrial customers can click here for available offers.

A supplier’s pricing is not regulated by the Public Service Commission.

A supplier’s offer can be for a fixed or variable price. A “fixed” price offer is one in which the price of electricity will be the same rate each month (for example 9.2 cents per kilowatt hour) for the contract period. The price will not increase or decrease over the term of the contract. If you know your typical monthly usage during the summer and winter months, a fixed price provides you some certainty about what the amount of your bill for electric usage will be. If the market price of electricity increases during your contract term, you will not be subject to that increased price. On the other hand, if the market price of electricity decreases during your contract term, you will not receive the benefit of the lower price.

A “variable” price offer is one in which the price of electricity may vary month-to-month based on the wholesale price of electricity. You may be unable to predict the amount of your bill for electric usage because the price may change. Under variable pricing, you can benefit from any price decreases in electricity, but you may pay more if the prices rise significantly.

If you dispute a supplier enrollment you must first contact the supplier with your dispute, and then if you are not satisfied you may file the dispute with the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division (CAD). A customer does not have to pay a disputed bill while a dispute is being investigated by the supplier or CAD. A supplier may not enroll a customer without the customer’s consent. If it is determined that your service had been switched without your consent, you are not absolved from paying all the supplier charges. Under the regulations, you are only entitled to a refund of the cancellation fee and the difference between the supplier price for the generation service and what you would have paid the utility for the same service.

If it is determined that the supplier’s price is higher than the utility’s price you will receive a refund for the difference. However, if the supplier’s price was lower than the utility’s price, you will not receive a refund. If the refund is sent to you directly, you should use that money to pay off the outstanding supplier charges on your utility bill. The Commission’s regulations governing unauthorized enrollments (‘slamming’)can be viewed here.

Public Service Commission regulations authorize gas and electric suppliers to impose a reasonable early cancellation fee if a customer cancels the contract before the expiration date. However, PSC rules prohibit the supplier from including the cancellation fee on the utility bill. If the supplier charged a deposit to begin service, the supplier can deduct the cancellation fee from the deposit. The supplier’s contract must contain all material terms and conditions, including:

• A statement that the customer may terminate the contract early, including the:
  • Circumstances under which early cancellation by the customer may occur;
  • Manner in which the customer shall notify the supplier of the early cancellation of the contract;
  • Duration of the notice period before early cancellation;
  • Remedies available to the supplier if early cancellation occurs; and
  • Amount of any early cancellation fee.

Most supplier contracts are “evergreen contracts”, which means that the contract automatically renews without any action by the customer. However, Public Service Commission rules require that the gas or electric supplier provide a customer with a notice of the pending renewal of an evergreen contract 45 days before the automatic renewal is scheduled to occur. The supplier is required to do the following:

• Provide a clearly stated and highlighted notice to a customer of any changes in the material terms and conditions of the agreement;
• Inform the customer how to terminate the contract without penalty; and,
• Inform the customer that terminating the evergreen contract without selecting another supplier will return the customer to utility commodity service.

The utility may terminate your gas or electric service for nonpayment of supplier charges when the utility purchases the receivables of a supplier under COMAR20.53.05.03. The purchase of receivables is referred to as “POR”. This is because the purchased supplier receivables become utility charges for the purpose of termination of service under COMAR 20.31. The utility has already paid the supplier the amount billed so the amount outstanding on the utility bill is now owed to the utility.

Please visit the ‘Resources’ page of MDElectricChoice.com or MDGasChoice.com. Utilities will also have Choice information on their websites.

The Commission regulates wired intrastate telephone service. The Commission does not have authority to regulate interstate or international telephone service. Also, the Commission does not regulate wireless service. Those services are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.

The Commission does not have any regulatory authority over internet (broadband) service. Consumers can file a complaint concerning this service with the Federal Communications Commission. Also, the Commission does not regulate cable service. Consumers can contact the Federal Communications Commission for information. Consumers can file a complaint about cable service with the local franchise office in the county where the service is provided.

Verizon and Comcast’s digital voice service is considered Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The Commission does not have jurisdiction over the regulation of VoIP service, including the imposition of regulatory fees, certification requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Section 8-602(c) of the Public Utilities Article requires that any company that moves a customer from a Commission-approved tariff service to VoIP service must notify the customer that the Commission does not have jurisdiction over VoIP service, and that complaints about VoIP service may be filed with the Office of Attorney General.

First, contact the telephone company about the service(s) that you are interested in. The telephone company will be able to explain to you which services are regulated by the Public Service Commission. In addition, you can find information about the regulated services in the utility’s tariff. The tariff will contain the utility’s schedule of rates and charges, the company’s terms and conditions and its policies and practices in providing service. The utility’s tariff must be approved by the Commission.

Lifeline (or Tel-Life) is a federal program, funded by all telephone customers, to help make telephone service more affordable for low-income customers. Eligible customers will receive a discount to the cost of local phone service, installation and repair. The subscriber line charge is also waived. Customers who receive government-sponsored assistance (i.e., TCA, TDAP, SSI, SNAP, PAA, MEAP/EUSP) are eligible for Lifeline. Discounts can be applied to either the landline or wireless service, but not both. For more information, or to apply, visit www.usac.org/lifeline/.

The utility may require that you pay a cash deposit as a condition for establishing service. The amount and terms of the deposit are included in the utility’s tariff, which is on file with the Public Service Commission.

The utility bill must contain a clear listing of all charges and credits, including the charges for the regulated service, plus all applicable federal and local taxes. In addition, all toll calls placed before the billing date and other charges and credits with appropriate explanation are to be included on the bill. Lastly, the amount of the balance due carried forward from the prior bill, the total amount of the bill, and the date by which you must pay the bill in order to avoid late charges all must be on the bill form.

The utility is required to give you at least five (5) days written notice (excluding Sundays and holidays) prior to disconnecting telephone service for nonpayment of a bill.

If your telephone stops working, you must first report the problem to the utility so that they can issue a trouble ticket and begin working on the problem. Following notification by the customer, the utility, per its tariff, is required to issue an adjustment to the customer’s bill for a telephone out of service longer than 24 hours.

Slamming is the term used to describe when a telephone subscriber’s local and/or long distance service provider is changed without the customer’s knowledge or consent. If your service has been changed without your authority, you should first file a dispute with the company that switched your service. The company is required by law to investigate your dispute. You should also contact your telephone company and ask that they switch you back without a fee since you were slammed. If you still need assistance, you can file a complaint with the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Division (CAD).

A utility that provides local residential or business telephone service must provide 30 days written notice to the Commission and the affected customers if they intend to discontinue service. The notice is to include:

• The date of service discontinuance, reduction, or impairment;
• A telephone number for customer assistance from the utility;
• A statement that the customer is required to select a new local service provider before the date of service termination; and,
• A description of the process for a customer to choose another utility.

The utility that acquires customers of another utility is also required to provide notice. The notice from the acquiring utility must include:

• The name of the acquiring utility;
• The date the acquiring utility will provide service;
• The rates, terms, and conditions of service to be provided by the acquiring utility and a description of the means by which the acquiring utility shall notify the customer of any change to rates, terms, and conditions;
• A statement that the acquiring utility shall be solely responsible for any charges associated with the migration of the customer to the acquiring utility’s network;
• A statement explaining that the customer may choose a utility other than the acquiring utility;
• A description of the process to choose another utility; and,
• A telephone number for customer assistance from the utility and the acquiring utility.

You do not have to switch service to the acquired utility. The acquired utility cannot impose a penalty on you for switching service to another utility for a period of 90 days after acquisition. However, if you switch service after 90 days, the utility can impose a penalty or charge to you for switching service. In addition, if an acquired customer decides to switch to a different utility other than the acquiring utility, the acquiring utility is required to port the telephone number to the customer’s utility of choice within 48 hours of the receipt of a valid local service request.