Skip to main content

BGE gets approval for rate reductions

WASHINGTON — Baltimore Gas and Electric received approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission to use $103 million in annual tax savings for reducing residential utility bills, beginning Feb. 1.

The tax savings BGE expects are the result of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

The average BGE residential electric customer will receive an estimated $2.91 decrease on his monthly bill, and the average residential combined natural gas and electric customer will see monthly bills reduced by $5.41.

The reductions will be reflected in customers’ February 2018 bills, BGE said.

Washington Gas parent company WGL Holdings has made a similar request with state regulatory commissions in the District, Maryland and Virginia, seeking approval to pass on its tax savings to its 1.1 million customers in the region.

WGL has said the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would lower customer rates by approximately $34 million a year. It did not say how much of a monthly reduction customers might see.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
Read Next Story