马里兰州冬季断供保护生效 去年仅26%合资格者参保
2026年11月1日，马里兰州面向低收入公用事业客户的冬季断供保护正式生效，并将持续至2027年3月31日。该计划名为“公用事业服务保护计划”，参保客户按过去一年的用量减去家庭能源援助金后，均摊为每月固定金额缴纳，以避免冬季因欠费断供。根据马里兰州公共服务委员会9月23日发布的年度报告，上一个供暖季该计划共参保25057人，而获得马里兰州能源援助计划认证的客户为97640人，参保率仅为26%，另有72583名符合条件的客户未参保。
其中，巴尔的摩燃气电力公司的能源援助认证客户从12018人增至57579人，而其断供保护计划参保人数仅从11657人增至13192人。州政府提醒，申请断供保护须先申请马里兰州能源援助计划，可登录benefits.maryland.gov在线办理，也可前往当地家庭能源办公室或拨打1-800-332-6347咨询。
Maryland Winter Utility Shutoff Protection Takes Effect; Only 26% of Eligible Customers Enrolled Last Year
On November 1, Maryland's winter utility shutoff protection for low-income utility customers took effect, running through March 31, 2027. Under the Utility Service Protection Program, participating customers pay a fixed monthly amount based on their past year's usage minus home energy assistance benefits, spreading costs evenly to avoid winter shutoffs for nonpayment.
According to the Maryland Public Service Commission's annual report released September 23, 25,057 people enrolled in the program last heating season, while 97,640 customers were certified for the Maryland Energy Assistance Program — an enrollment rate of only 26%, with another 72,583 eligible customers not enrolled. At Baltimore Gas and Electric alone, energy-assistance-certified customers rose from 12,018 to 57,579, while enrollment in its shutoff protection program grew only from 11,657 to 13,192.
The state reminded residents that applying for shutoff protection requires first applying for the Maryland Energy Assistance Program, which can be done online at benefits.maryland.gov, at a local home energy office, or by calling 1-800-332-6347.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：马里兰州巴尔的摩市景（资料图）。dokaspar摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Baltimore, Maryland (file photo). Photo by dokaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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