BGE power outage customers with unpaid balances face a July 15 deadline as the utility plans to restart termination notices for past-due accounts on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. BGE says it will not shut off service during high heat conditions, but customers who do not pay their bills can still be disconnected.
Laurel Peltier, chair of the Maryland Energy Advocates Coalition, said, "These power cutoffs will cause major problems for many people in the Baltimore region, especially seniors living on fixed incomes who simply cannot afford their energy bills." She added, "The good news is that many Marylanders qualify for programs to help them pay their energy bills – but they must act soon to keep their power on."
BGE July 15 notices
BGE said it mailed turn-off notices during the week of the article and had kept a banner on its website for several weeks saying disconnections for nonpayment would resume after July 15. The utility also said it is calling customers who have not paid their bills to try to arrange payment plans and other help before collection action restarts.
Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs
The company said it is offering extended payment arrangements of up to 18 to 24 months and no deposit requirements for customers in arrears who want to keep or restore service. BGE is also promoting assistance through OHEP and the Fuel Fund of Maryland, and the Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs provides grants for income-eligible households.
Public Service Commission moratorium
The July 15 restart follows a six-month moratorium ordered by the Public Service Commission in December 2025 after BGE had issues with its customer service call center. BGE said the average wait time in December was 546.6 minutes, or over nine hours, before the collection pause took effect.
BGE defines high heat conditions as either a 3-day forecast with a 95°F heat index threshold or heat emergencies declared by the National Weather Service or the Maryland Department of Health. That means notices can resume on July 15, but actual shut-offs still have to clear the company’s summer heat rules before any disconnection happens.
The immediate step for affected customers is to act before the notices start arriving and use the payment options BGE says it is offering. For households already behind, the deadline is not just a date on the calendar; it is the point at which the utility’s collection process starts moving again.
