Show Your Support for BATTERY Storage!

The Maryland Public Service Commission is currently considering how many new battery storage projects to connect to our electric grid. If you want them to approve as many as possible, I encourage you to sign this petition by August 4.

Don’t Know Much About Battery Storage?

Let me be the first to invite you to the party! 

Up until very recently, electricity had to be generated as it was used. Because electrical use varies depending on the time of day and weather (think super hot, late afternoons), our grid is built to handle the highest possible demand to avoid service disruptions and brown-outs—even if that demand only comes a few hours a year. 

This method of ensuring reliability impacts both cost and emissions. First, it requires building out the grid itself (distribution, transmission, sub-stations) to handle those few peak days of the year. This is very expensive. We also need plants that can fire up when they are called on to respond to increased need. These “peaker plants” usually run on gas, although some also use coal. This is a dirty and expensive way to respond to peaks, but until recently, our options were limited. 

Battery Storage to the Rescue! 

Storage lets us produce energy when demand is low and save it for high demand periods. This means we don’t have to build out the grid for those few high demand periods—saving A LOT of money on our electric bills. We also don’t need to run those gas and coal peaker plants as much—saving money and decreasing carbon emissions. 

Battery storage also paves the way for using more renewables. We can make clean, low-cost electricity whenever the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, and then store it for a time when the sun or wind may not be producing as much. 

(Graphic courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Does Battery Storage Really Work?

You can read about how battery storage saved the day (and lots of money) in Texas here. 

Battery storage has been around a while, but the cost of storage has plummeted recently. It is now the fastest and lowest cost way to respond to anticipated load increases. It’s also the low carbon way to respond to the retirement of old coal plants. 

Last year, many in Annapolis advocated for Maryland to subsidize new gas plants to respond to growing peak load and plant retirements. I was able to effectively make the case (along with many of you!) that battery storage was the “least regrets” path we can and should take. Not only is it the cheapest and fastest way to address the load, but putting it in place now ensures reliable electricity over time as we get more and more renewables onto the grid. 

Legislation Becomes Law Becomes Real Action

My 2025 clean energy bill was largely incorporated into the Next Generation Energy Act and led to the expedited procurement of storage that is now happening at the Public Service Commission (PSC). Four projects have applied and we are encouraging the PSC to accept as many of these as possible. I will be testifying to that effect on Thursday evening. You can weigh in by signing this petition. Public opinion does make a difference! 

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Building Efficiency Standards

Of course, having more energy-efficient buildings is another way to decrease our peak load (and save all rate-payers money) and I’m working on that issue as well. Check out the efforts here.

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Who’s Calling the Shots at PJM?

For several years, I have been leading regional efforts to require changes to the governance structure of PJM, the regional transmission organization in charge of the electric grid in Maryland, DC, and 12 other states. We are calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure states can engage meaningfully in regional grid governance. Read more about the issue here.

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Need Help on a State Issue?

If you need help with a state issue, please contact my office at Lorig.Charkoudian@house.maryland.gov or leave us a message at (410)-841-3423.

Onward, 

Lorig Charkoudian