Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Smart Grid, Shrewd Politics
This week, the Maryland Public Service Commission approved BGE’s plans to deploy “Smart Grid” technology across Maryland, ending a saga which began in June.
Smart Grid technology allows consumers to better track and control energy usage, resulting in significant energy and cost savings. The PSC’s action preserves Maryland’s eligibility for $200 million in federal stimulus grant monies earmarked for Smart Grid projects.
The whole Smart Grid saga has received significant local media attention during the past two months. Absent from all the coverage, however, was the extent to which gubernatorial politics guided the outcome.
Flash back to 2006, when BGE customers were hit with 70 percent rate increases. Then-Mayor Martin O’Malley used the issue as a weapon in his contest again Governor Bob Ehrlich. O’Malley assigned all blame for the rate increase to Ehrlich and the members of his Public Service Commission, promising to roll back the increases if he won. And, he got away with it.
Of course, Governor O’Malley and his own Public Service Commission failed to deliver on these promises.
Now, as Governor O’Malley fights to keep his job... http://rjc-crosspurposes.blogspot.com/2010/08/smart-grid-shrewd-politics.html?spref=fb
Smart Grid technology allows consumers to better track and control energy usage, resulting in significant energy and cost savings. The PSC’s action preserves Maryland’s eligibility for $200 million in federal stimulus grant monies earmarked for Smart Grid projects.
The whole Smart Grid saga has received significant local media attention during the past two months. Absent from all the coverage, however, was the extent to which gubernatorial politics guided the outcome.
Flash back to 2006, when BGE customers were hit with 70 percent rate increases. Then-Mayor Martin O’Malley used the issue as a weapon in his contest again Governor Bob Ehrlich. O’Malley assigned all blame for the rate increase to Ehrlich and the members of his Public Service Commission, promising to roll back the increases if he won. And, he got away with it.
Of course, Governor O’Malley and his own Public Service Commission failed to deliver on these promises.
Now, as Governor O’Malley fights to keep his job... http://rjc-crosspurposes.blogspot.com/2010/08/smart-grid-shrewd-politics.html?spref=fb
LABELS: 2010 MARYLAND ELECTIONS, ELECTIONS 2010 MD GOVERNOR, GOV EHRLICH-ROBERT, JOURNALISTS CROSS RICHARD, MD PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, PEOPLE O'MALLEY-MARTIN
Cross Purposes: Smart Grid, Shrewd Politics by Richard Cross
*****
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