How to Read Your BGE Bill
BGE (Baltimore Gas and Electric) delivers electricity and natural gas across the Baltimore metropolitan area no matter who supplies your actual energy — Maryland is a deregulated market, so you can buy supply either from BGE's regulated Standard Offer Service or from a separate competitive supplier. Your bill separates supply, delivery, and BGE's fixed charges and taxes.
Who BGE is on your bill
BGE is Maryland's largest utility, serving the Baltimore area with both electric and natural gas delivery. Whether you're on BGE's own Standard Offer Service or a competitive supplier, BGE still owns the wires and pipes, reads the meter, and handles outages and emergencies — the delivery side of the bill is identical either way.
Supply vs. delivery charges
Maryland allows customers to choose a competitive supplier for the energy portion of their electric or gas service. A BGE bill therefore separates a supply charge — the actual electricity or gas, which is shoppable — from a delivery charge — BGE's regulated fee for its infrastructure, which stays the same regardless of your supplier choice.
Standard Offer Service
If you haven't shopped with a competitive supplier, Standard Offer Service (SOS) is what you're paying for electric supply — BGE's default rate, set through a regulated process overseen by the Maryland Public Service Commission rather than an arbitrary markup. Gas supply has an equivalent default arrangement. Either way, these default rates are the benchmark to compare against any competitive supplier's offer.
Fixed charges and taxes
Below supply and delivery, expect a customer charge that applies every billing period regardless of usage, plus riders that fund programs like energy efficiency and infrastructure investment, and applicable Maryland state and local taxes and fees. These are typically smaller individually but can add up, especially in a low-usage month when they make up a larger share of the total.
If you're comparing a competitive offer
When requesting a quote from a competitive supplier, it helps to have your account number and rate class on hand, along with a recent bill showing usage history. Comparing an offer's per-kWh or per-therm price against BGE's current Standard Offer Service rate — rather than an older figure — is the only reliable way to know whether switching would actually save money right now.
Frequently asked questions
What is Standard Offer Service on a BGE bill?
Standard Offer Service (SOS) is BGE's default electricity supply rate for customers who haven't chosen a competitive supplier. It's set through a regulated procurement process overseen by the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Does BGE serve both electric and gas customers?
Yes, BGE delivers both electricity and natural gas across the Baltimore metropolitan area, and both electric and gas supply can be shopped separately in Maryland's deregulated market.
Does BGE still deliver my power if I switch suppliers?
Yes. BGE remains responsible for delivery, meter reading, and outage response regardless of which competitive supplier you choose for electric or gas supply — switching only changes who supplies the energy and what you pay for it.
See this on your own bill
Upload your BGE bill and Certo reads it for you — a free bill health score, a plain-English breakdown, and whether your supply rate is competitive.
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