MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                         3021

No. 35

(House Joint Resolution 79)
A House Joint Resolution concerning

Public Service Commission — Energy Crisis

FOR the purpose of requesting the Public Service
Commission to undertake an immediate study to
determine the relationship between utility rate
structures and demand, to [[investigate]] determine
whether alternative rate structures [[which]] would
encourage conservation of energy resources, and
reporting its findings by a certain date.

WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes that the
State of Maryland and the nation are experiencing the
effects of an energy shortage occasioned by unprecedented
demand; and

WHEREAS, The citizens of Maryland suffer economic
dislocations and hardships because of the energy crisis;
and

WHEREAS, There is general agreement that the cause
and effects of the energy crisis cannot be alleviated for
at least another 4-8 years; and

WHEREAS, The present rate structure for consumers of
energy in the State of Maryland, the declining block rate
method, devised during times of abundant supplies of
energy, tends to promote demand by charging less per unit
to the consumer tor each additional level of consumption
attained; and

WHEREAS, It would be in the best interests of the
public to encourage conservation of energy resources
during periods of short supply; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
the Public Service Commission is hereby requested to
undertake an immediate study to determine the
relationship between existing utility energy rate
structures and demand and to [[investigate, either
unilaterally or in conjunction with other regional and
national regulatory agencies, alternative rate structures
which would encourage conservation of energy resources in

short supply]] also determine whether alternative rate

strictures, that may encourage conservation of energy

resources in short supply, would be in the overall public
interest; and be it further