BGE could face fine after cutting off resident's power without notice; Know your rights, OPC says

Baltimore Gas and Electric could face a fine of as much as $750,000 after it inexplicably cut off a woman’s electricity without notice, prompting a state agency to warn residents to know their rights.Danielle Brookhart returned to her Brooklyn home from work on Feb. 26 to an unwelcome surprise.”My house was pitch black and I noticed all the other neighbors still had lights,” Brookhart told 11 News Investigates. “The nights have been in the 20s. So, I couldn’t stay here. I had to board my dog. It’s hundreds of dollars of food that I’m out now.”The electricity in the rowhome she rents was shut off, and a door-hanger left behind by BGE was the only clue as to why. She still doesn’t know why whether her electricity was cut off, or whether she’ll be fined for something that dates back to before she moved in.Before the power was cut, video from her doorbell camera showed a BGE crew working behind her rowhome.After eight days without power nor an explanation, someone from BGE came to turn her power back on.So, Brookhart called the phone number printed on the BGE door-hanger.”She did indicate that there was a there was some sort of an issue with the meter, but that was all she was able to say,” Brookhart told 11 News Investigates.Brookhart eventually reached someone by phone from the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel, a state agency that advocates for residents and holds utilities accountable. The OPC said the BGE investigative notes indicated her power was cut due to an unauthorized connection dating back eight years, before Brookhart began renting. The notes also indicated BGE was preparing to fine Brookhart more than $1,000.”How they can do this to somebody in the middle of winter with no explanation? There’s a $0 balance on my account,” Brookhart said.In the process of this ordeal, Brookhart realized there are complications with her account.Law allows power cutoffs to unauthorized connections without notice, but explanations requiredIt turns out, state law allows BGE and other utilities to cut power off due to unauthorized connections without providing any notice. David Lapp, who was appointed people’s counsel in 2021, said that after the power is cut off, utilities are responsible for explaining why.More than 30 days after her power was cut, Brookhart told 11 News Investigates that she still hasn’t received an explanation from BGE.When no explanation is provided by the utility, the Maryland Public Service Commission could assess a penalty.”The commission could impose monetary penalties for a violation,” Lapp told 11 News Investigates. “The commission can impose a civil penalty not exceeding $25,000 for each violation for each day that the violation persists.”Brookhart filed a PSC complaint, and while Lapp said he can’t comment on Brookhart’s specific case, the fine could amount to more than $750,000 as of Friday.”The commission has imposed fines for violations of its regulations in the past,” Lapp told 11 News Investigates.Lapp said the OPC may consider pushing legislation to specify exactly how long utilities have to explain disconnections to customers.BGE: Unauthorized energy use is not a service terminationIn a statement to 11 News Investigates, a BGE spokesman Nick Alexopulos said the utility can’t comment on specific customer issues, but noted, generally, that unauthorized connections are a big problem in Baltimore and can be extremely dangerous.”Disconnecting an unauthorized connection is not the same as termination of service. If there is no active service account, there is no ‘service’ to terminate,” Alexopulos said in the statement. “Unauthorized use of energy is an extraordinarily serious matter that poses extreme dangers both to residents and any individuals conducting work to make an unauthorized connection, regardless of whether a resident is involved. These unauthorized connections significantly increase the risk of electrical shock, circuit overloads, overheating, potential fires and system overloads, which can lead to neighborhood power outages.”Brookhart just wants to understand what’s going on.”No phone calls, no emails, no notes on my account — nothing,” Brookhart said. “I’m more than willing to get this figured out, work with BGE to get this figured out.”Anyone who has concerns about an unauthorized connection at their address can call the BGE Energy Theft Hot Line at 800-417-0294.