Maryland Democrats introduced legislation to expand the state's energy capacity, aiming to ease soaring power bills while attempting to preserve climate goals.
Katie Shepherd reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Lawmakers proposed three bills to accelerate approval for energy projects, including natural gas with plans for hydrogen conversion and carbon capture.
- The legislation seeks to make solar power more accessible, create a 25-year energy planning body and reduce financial risks for nuclear projects.
- Environmental groups oppose new fossil fuel plants, while state officials stress the need for affordable, reliable energy.
Key quote:
[Reaching net zero emissions] "cannot come at an impossible cost to Marylanders or threaten our ability to keep our lights on. We must be more sustainable and we must be more affordable.”
— Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson
Why this matters:
Maryland faces rising energy costs, driven by power imports, coal plant closures and infrastructure expenses. The proposed legislation aims to balance affordability, sustainability and energy reliability. Including natural gas in future plans has sparked debate between economic and environmental priorities.
Read more: Maryland pushes for faster clean energy grid expansion
