Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced the Lower Bills and Local Power Act (LBLPA) as part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s 2026 legislative agenda. The legislation introduces measures to secure financing for local clean energy projects, modernize the electric grid, and provide additional direct energy bill discounts to Maryland families.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks at a news conference in January. Pat Siebert
“Energy policy is about more than megawatts and transmission corridors – it’s about whether Maryland families can afford to live in their homes,” Moore said. “That’s why our administration is committed to providing real relief, focusing on lowering the cost of energy bills for Maryland residents and investing in local projects that make energy more reliable and affordable.”
LBLPA is allocating nearly $200 million from the state’s Strategic Energy Investment Fund – which reinvests alternative utility compliance payments – to address rising energy costs impacting Maryland families.
About $100 million will be sent to Maryland families for utility bill rebates. The rebates starting this fall are in addition to the $200 million in direct electric bill rebates provided by Moore and the Maryland General Assembly through the Next Generation Energy Act.
To promote local energy generation, the legislation establishes the Solar and Energy Storage Gap Financing Program. The program will invest $70 million to finance clean energy projects. The investment will stimulate local production of clean energy.
“The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to transitioning to a more affordable, reliable and clean energy system as quickly as possible,” said Kelly Speaks Backman, director of the Maryland Energy Administration. “Gov. Moore’s legislation introduced today, his budget and December executive order are all aimed at addressing rising energy costs for working families, keeping the lights on and putting us on the path to clean energy.”
To modernize Maryland’s transmission infrastructure, LBLPA holds utilities responsible for prioritizing advanced transmission and grid-enhancing technologies when expanding network capacity. Utilities seeking to build new transmission lines must submit plans to implement these technologies without increasing costs to taxpayers before receiving approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission.
LBLPA is allocating $10 million to the Maryland Department of Transportation to identify opportunities for high-voltage transmission lines and battery storage projects along state and interstate highways. By taking advantage of existing highway right-of-way, Maryland can avoid complex land acquisition and permitting processes.
“The Maryland Department of Transportation is a proud partner and supporter of the Moore-Miller Administration’s efforts to modernize the state’s energy grid and reduce energy costs,” said Katie Thomson, acting secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. “With Governor Moore’s Lower Bills and Local Power Act, I look forward to continued collaboration with our state energy partners, doing what the Department does best: finding practical solutions that move Maryland toward a more affordable, sustainable future.”
In addition to signing the Building an Affordable and Reliable Energy Future executive order and providing $200 million in energy rebates, the Governor invested more than $130 million in clean energy and modernization programs in 2025 alone, including funding for the county government’s energy modernization and the Decarbonizing Public Schools Program.
News release from Governor Wes Moore’s office
