A string of power failures in Maryland is intensifying complaints in Reisterstown, where residents say they are paying higher bills without getting more dependable service in return.
After repeated outages, neighbors are questioning whether utility upgrades have kept pace with increasingly harsh weather, according to CBS Baltimore.
What happened?
About 40,000 Baltimore Gas & Electric customers lost electricity when strong storms and high winds moved across the state Monday.
Residents told the outlet that the latest blackout was their seventh in about as many weeks.
Paulette Jones said the interruptions have made everyday life unpredictable.
"The power has been out seven times within the last two months," Jones told CBS Baltimore. "Sometimes it's restored within two or three hours. Sometimes within days."
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Why does it matter?
During the July 4 heat wave, Glori Northern and her dog were forced to leave their home for four days, decamping to a hotel.
She said losing electricity makes it hard to store medicine safely.
"I would have to fill my bathtub up with ice to keep my medicine refrigerated," Northern recalled, per CBS Baltimore.
Residents say the problem feels even worse as utility bills rise without a matching improvement in reliability.
"The bills have gone up, supposedly to work on the infrastructure, but yet here we are still fighting to have power," Jones told CBS Baltimore.
What's being done?
BGE says stronger storms and more frequent bouts of severe weather are behind the recurring outages.
Dawn White, vice president of electric operations, said the company is reviewing areas with repeated interruptions and elevating improvements on its priority list.
That necessary work includes tree trimming and vegetation management as well as replacing poles, cross arms, and lines, CBS Baltimore reported.
White said BGE is also considering more distribution automation that could help the system "self-heal" without requiring a crew.
For residents, battery storage remains one practical way to reduce the impact of future outages.
It can keep critical devices running, protect refrigerated medicines and food, and lower electricity costs when paired with smarter home energy use.
"This is not sustainable. It's like living in a third-world country," Jones told CBS Baltimore.
White said BGE is "working to prioritize some of our infrastructure investments" in Reisterstown.
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