Montgomery Co. Executive To Appeal Pepco Rate Hike

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett says he'll appeal the Maryland Public Service Commission's decision to grant Pepco a $27.9 million rate increase and a new surcharge to improve grid reliability.

Leggett announced Tuesday that he asked the county attorney to appeal the increases in circuit court.

Leggett calls the proposed hikes that will add about $2.41 to the average residential customer's monthly bill "premature and unwise." He says the grid resiliency charge will let Pepco automatically pass along charges to customers without having to seek a rate increase with the commission.

The PSC approval gave Pepco less than half the $60.8 million increase it sought. The surcharge starts at 6 cents per month in 2014 for the average homeowner and rises to as much as 27 cents in 2016.

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