Inside Maryland's Power Shortage | #43

Your electric bill didn't go up by accident — and the reasons are bigger than most people realize. In this episode of SMECO connects, host sonja cox and co-host tom dennison break down the growing generation and capacity crisis impacting maryland and the entire PJM grid. They explain how plant retirements, rising demand from data centers, transmission congestion, and delayed renewable projects are colliding to drive higher prices — and why utilities often get blamed for forces they don't control. You'll also hear how SMECO manages power procurement to protect members from price spikes, what deregulation really changed back in 1999, and why policymakers are now scrambling to fix a problem decades in the making. Key takeaways: Why electricity prices are rising — and what's actually behind them How capacity shortages and grid congestion affect your bill What new generation (including nuclear and gas) could mean for reliability How SMECO works to stabilize costs in an unstable market This is a straight-talk conversation about power, policy, and planning — and why understanding the system is the first step toward realistic solutions. tune in to get clarity on one of the most important issues facing our energy future. Follow & Connect: Host: Sonja Cox Co-Host: Tom Dennison SMECO on Instagram: somdelectricSMECO on X: somdelectric