Help paying utility bills in Maryland

The November to March affidavit rule

Maryland adds an extra hurdle before winter shutoffs. Between November 1 and March 31, a gas or electric utility may not terminate service to residents for nonpayment unless it first certifies to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC), in an affidavit filed at least 24 hours before the shutoff, that termination will not threaten the life or health of the people living there. That affidavit stays valid for 12 days after the utility's most recent personal contact, or attempted contact, with the customer. This is a good reason to answer the utility's calls and tell them about anyone in the home who is elderly, very young or ill. The rule does not erase the debt, so use the winter months to apply for help and set up a plan.

Temperature limits and notice periods

Maryland also bans shutoffs on the coldest and hottest days. In winter, a utility may not terminate service for nonpayment in its weather station area if the 6 a.m. forecast is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. In summer, electric service cannot be cut for nonpayment when the 6 a.m. forecast is 95 degrees or hotter, and gas service used for cooling gets the same protection if you have told the gas company you use it that way. The PSC says a utility must send notice at least 14 days before terminating service over unpaid bills. If you file a billing dispute, the utility cannot cut service while it is pending, as long as you keep paying the undisputed part and your new bills on time.

Serious illness and life support equipment

If you or someone in your home has a serious illness or needs life support equipment, Maryland utilities must hold off on termination for an additional 30 days once properly notified. Tell the utility before the termination notice expires. A doctor, certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant may need to fill out a Commission-approved form, and the certificate must reach the utility no later than the day before the scheduled shutoff. During those 30 days, you must promptly agree to a plan to pay past due and current amounts. If you fall off that plan, the utility can resume collection, including disconnection. Ask your utility about its special needs program as well, since enrolled customers may get extra notice of planned outages.

MEAP, EUSP and Arrearage Retirement Assistance

The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP), part of the Maryland Department of Human Services, runs the state's bill help. The Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) pays toward heating bills, with payments sent to the utility or fuel supplier. The Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP) helps with electric bills once per program year, which runs July through June. Arrearage Retirement Assistance can pay up to $2,000 toward a past due electric or gas bill of at least $300, generally once every five years. You can apply any time of year, and you do not need a turn-off notice to qualify. OHEP says energy assistance does not reduce Temporary Cash Assistance, food assistance or Social Security benefits. Apply online, use a drop box or mail in a paper application.

USPP, reconnection and the Fuel Fund

The Utility Service Protection Program (USPP) protects low-income families from turn-offs during the heating season. Anyone eligible for MEAP can join, but you must stay on year-round even monthly budget billing, and missing consecutive payments can get you removed. USPP has a second benefit: if your service is already off, participants can be reconnected between November 1 and March 31 without paying a reconnection fee or deposit. For Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) residential customers, the Fuel Fund of Maryland, which has served BGE customers since 1981 but operates independently, offers grants to households at risk of losing power or already disconnected. OHEP also refers customers to the Department of Housing and Community Development for no-cost weatherization and home repairs under EmPOWER Maryland.

Working with the PSC Consumer Affairs Division

Call the utility first and ask for an extension or a payment arrangement before your notice expires. If the company will not resolve the problem, file with the PSC's Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) through its online complaint portal, which also accepts requests for an extension or payment arrangement. The PSC's dispute rules require the company to investigate first, so CAD may withdraw a complaint if you never contacted the utility. CAD sends its decision in writing and explains how to ask for further review. If you think your meter is wrong, you can request a referee test through the Commission for a $10 fee. Water and sewer service in Maryland often comes from a city or county agency, which sets its own billing and payment rules.

Settlemont for a Maryland bill

Settlemont is one more option for a Maryland household that has applied to OHEP but still faces a specific gas, electric or water bill. It is bill payment technology from a for-profit company, and you never pay it anything as the bill owner. The form is short and private: first name, email, state, category, amount and due date. A one-time access code then lets you identify your utility in a separate step, while staff independently check the utility, your identity and the current balance. Every request is screened for duplicates and fraud. Approved pages show first name, Maryland, Utility and the verified amount only. When someone helps, their support goes directly to the utility, and Settlemont marks a bill paid only after recording the utility's confirmation and a zero balance.

Sources

• Maryland Public Service Commission: Consumer FAQs
• Maryland Public Service Commission: File a complaint
• Maryland Department of Human Services: About energy assistance (OHEP)
• Maryland Department of Human Services: How to apply for energy assistance
• Fuel Fund of Maryland

Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.

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