Electrification Impacts on Peak Load Forecasts for Maryland’s Electric Utilities

In pursuit of the Maryland Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, the Public Service Commission (PSC) engaged a consultant to conduct the Electrification Study, aimed at evaluating the impacts of a managed transition to an electrified building sector in the state. To support this effort, the PSC established the Electrification Study Group (ESWG) to assist with the study’s development. The study’s scope included an analysis of both building and transportation electrification.

Synapse’s team, led by Kenji Takahashi, supported the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) in its involvement with the ESWG and participated in numerous ESWG meetings from late 2022 through the end of 2023. During these meetings, Synapse’s team critically reviewed and provided recommendations on key assumptions and methodologies related to various issues, including heat pumps, electric vehicles, demand response and time-varying rates, energy efficiency, and distribution load impacts and investments. Additionally, Synapse independently analyzed the effects of building and transportation electrification on winter peak loads and distribution system investments in Maryland to further inform the assessment of the Electrification Study.

Completed March 2024.