The Maryland Public Service Commission announced Friday that Maryland utilities companies can no longer charge customers for sales lost during the first 24 hours of a major power outage.
Previously, the companies were able to include the charges for electricity that would have have been delivered if not for the outage in their Bill Stabilization Adjustment calculations, according to a commission statement. Baltimore Gas & Electric, Delmarva Power and Light Company, Potomac Electric Power Company and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative are all being ordered to revise their calculations to accommodate the ruling.
Prior to this most recent change, utilities companies were able to charge throughout extended outages. The commission revoked this policy in January 2012, but did grant utilities companies the ability to collect lost sales in the first 24 hours. Today's decision eliminates all costs to customer throughout outages.
According to the statement, the "commission based its decision on the very real financial and quality-of-life hardships customers already face during major outage events, such as spoiled food; lost business and employment income; hotel, meal and medical-related expenses; and costs for generators and fuel, home repairs and pet care."
Utilities companies can only start charging again once full restoration is achieved.
The decision comes ahead of Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to cause widespread extended outages.
Charge WHAT? kWh that are not used and the meter is not reporting? The full service charges of $7.50? Just WHAT are they continuing to charge for when we have no electric?
Maybe if .gov would stop meddling in everything private companies and free market will fix poor fee's and bad service. Just a thought.
If there is money in a business, and there is plenty of money in utilities to be paid, then deregulation and the free market will fix cost, price setting, services, and fee's. It's simple if there was another company allowed to compete with BGE in MD not just for "deliverary" but for actual infrastructure and service then BGE would have to worry about service and pricing. Now they do not. It works in EVERY industry. Go buy a new car you know what allows you to get the best deal? The fact that there are SEVERAL dealerships to pick from. Anytime .gov is left to pick winners and losers they only losers are the citizens as the politicians will/can be bought and sold. Keep living in your liberal and socialist big government is better world. It simply is not the case in any market. Name ONE thing the goverment meedles in that makes a profit? Social Services? Red. Post office? Red. EPA? Works in the red. Police, firefighters, Teachers? Red and every year we hear how there is no money for them. MTA? Millions in fraud and waste surprise? They work in the red every year. The government is limited by what they can meedle in your life with. The nation was built that way and should be maintained that way. Letting the .gov control more and more is harmful to everyone.
1. The Post Office must deliver to everywhere, by law. 2. What do UPS and FedEx do when a package has to be delivered to a non-profitable area? They give the package to the local post office to complete the delivery which the rest of us then have to pay for. One of those dirty little secrets nobody knows about.
Tell me what percentages of their profits actually come from the methods you mention and what come from what you might call 'genuine' business practice. The process you speak of is called sub contracting, if nothing else FedEx and UPS subcontracting service to the USPS is a GOOD thing for the USPS, sounding like a much smarter venture than ramping up on valpak and friends. The USPS can't make money, FedEx and UPS give them business, yet you're faulting FedEx and UPS? Interesting
You've resorted to name calling (3 posts, two of which were simply to insult) rather than presenting facts or legitimate arguments supporting your points therefore your posts no longer deserve my time.
Yes, it is a business. Further, you act as if FedEx and UPS are burdening the USPS. Increasing their volume on less desirable routes makes the routes more profitable, aside from the fact that this situation is a rarity and again you've shown little data to suggest its a major hemorrhage for the USPS. USPS works along with FedEx and UPS, cooperatively. Who do you think handles USPS products overseas??? FedEx handles large volumes of USPS freight overseas, because that is less desirable and profitable for the USPS and FedEx has the resources to handle it, just as the USPS is better equipped for local rural domestic routes so they can profit from delivering FedEx packages to areas not profitable to FedEx. Its a business, run by govt, quite poorly. Like all other govt businesses. The End
Are those charges on your bill itemized?
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