Baltimore City leaders went door-to-door in an East Baltimore neighborhood on Thursday to get feedback on the rising Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) utility bills.

City Council President Zeke Cohen led the community walk as the council works on solutions to help residents ease the burden of the bills.

"We are in a moment where people feel powerless against monopolies," Cohen said. "Today, we are giving people their power back."

City leaders are collecting signatures on a petition that calls for the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to stop BGE's planned 2026 utility rate hikes .

The PSC, which regulates BGE at the state level, approved these proposed multi-year rate hikes in 2023 .

"BGE told us their multi-year rate making would be more predictable and transparent," Cohen said. "The only predictable part of these multi-year rate hikes is the profits their shareholders make off the backs of our residents."

Cohen expects more neighborhood walks to be conducted throughout the next couple of months.

In February, the state found massive spending on gas infrastructure upgrades is fueling the hikes. However, the city council said these upgrades shouldn't be made on the backs of ratepayers.

A BGE spokesperson shared this statement with WJZ, "Since early January, BGE has held more than 80 events in communities throughout our service territory to engage with customers directly, answer their questions, and connect them to resources to help manage their energy costs. These conversations are substantive, not performative, and exemplify our commitment to putting customers first in everything we do."

Why have BGE rates increased?

BGE spokesperson Nick Alexopulos says three key costs go into the overall total of your bill.

The first, according to Alexopulos, is the distribution cost, which is the main part of the bill that goes directly to BGE. That rate is regulated by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

BGE increased their rates on Jan. 1. The utility company increased the average gas bill by 9% and the electric bill by 7%.

But that's just part of the reason why your bill is higher.

Gas customers saw a spike in the supply section of their bill which is the cost of the actual natural gas they used, according to BGE.

"In January of this year, the actual price of natural gas was 30% higher than it was January a year ago, so if you take all of these into account, plus increased usage, it's led to bills that are high," said Alexopulos.

The third component is the increase of costs to "Empower Maryland" set by the state, which funds efficiency programs.

Rising rate concerns

For months, Baltimore City councilmembers fielded outrage from customers who experienced a major increase in their electric and gas bills. They are hoping the petition will cancel the next round of rate increases.

"Enough is enough," Baltimore City Councilmember Antonio Glover said.

And while the warmer months are approaching, BGE customers say they are still figuring out how they're going to pay those expensive winter heating bills.

Baltimore resident Troy Williams told WJZ these are the highest BGE bills he has ever had.

"The bill looks like 238 to 250," Williams said. "I think BGE needs to cut back on the pricing Instead of increasing because right now we're in dire situation."

In February, Baltimore resident Zattura Sims-El told WJZ she feels like "I'm being held hostage" by the rising rates for energy and gas.

The 75-year-old widow, who is on social security and lives alone, saw her BGE bill climb from $390 in November to $780 in December. She said her following bill was even higher.

"It's $975 and 22 cents," Sims-El said. "There is no way I can afford to pay these bills."

Many other BGE customers said they are feeling the squeeze in their budget due to higher rates.

"No one can afford this," Baltimore resident Kelly Richmond said.

Efforts to stop BGE's rate increase

Several Maryland lawmakers proposed legislation to address BGE rate increases.

The Ratepayer Protection Act would require gas companies to prioritize lowering spending on pipelines instead of raising rates for customers by identifying and addressing leaks.

The bill would change the information required in plans submitted by gas companies to the Public Service Commission for proposed infrastructure replacement projects.

Under the proposed bill, plans would need to show that the gas company prioritized projects based on cost-effectiveness and risk to the public.

Plans would further need to include an analysis that compares the cost of the project with alternatives and a plan to notify customers impacted by the project at least two years before construction, allowing them a chance to switch to electric.

BGE's gas delivery rates have more than tripled since 2010, according to the Office of the People's Counsel (OPC). The company's profits have also more than tripled from $147 million in 2010 to $485 million in 2023, according to the OPC.