Maryland Governor Wes Moore has spent the better part of his tenure boasting about a “bold” green energy agenda—one that promises 100% clean energy by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2045. On paper, it sounds visionary. In practice, it’s starting to look more like reckless gambling with Maryland’s power grid and its citizens’ wallets.
What Moore and his administration refuse to acknowledge is simple: you cannot shut down reliable fossil fuel power plants faster than you can build dependable replacements. Yet that is exactly what Maryland is doing.
The Energy Cliff
By June 2025, the Herbert A. Wagner, Brandon Shores, and Vienna fossil fuel plants will all be offline. Together, these facilities supply roughly 2,290 megawatts of power—the backbone of Maryland’s energy capacity. Their closures, while applauded by climate activists, create a gaping hole in the state’s grid.
Since 2018, Maryland has lost nearly 6,000 MW of fossil fuel capacity but added only about 1,600 MW in new generation. The result? PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator, reported a 1,038% spike in capacity auction prices since Moore took office. Translation: higher electricity bills for ratepayers, and a looming risk of blackouts when demand surges.
Moore’s answer? Offshore wind projects that keep stalling, solar fields that can’t scale nearly fast enough, a $2 million battery rebate program too small to matter, and vague promises about someday expanding nuclear power.
Green Dreams, Real Costs
The administration rolls out new programs almost monthly: a $64 million Local Government Energy Modernization Program, $90 million for “climate justice” projects, and $17 million to decarbonize schools. Each one is celebrated with ribbon cuttings and glowing press releases. But when measured against Maryland’s actual energy needs—tens of billions in investments over the next decade—they barely move the needle.
Meanwhile, everyday Marylanders don’t get rosy headlines; they get soaring utility bills. PJM and lawmakers alike are sounding the alarm about an “energy cliff” where the state simply won’t have enough reliable power to keep the lights on. Moore dismisses these warnings as overblown, blaming “corporate greed” instead of his own policy decisions.
Offshore Wind: Moore’s White Whale
Moore touts the Maryland POWER Act as a cornerstone of his energy strategy, promising 8.5 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. But the real-world record is dismal. Ørsted canceled its Maryland project in 2024. US Wind’s highly publicized turbine manufacturing hub at TradePoint Atlantic? Still dirt and empty land as of mid-2025. Add in federal permitting hang-ups, and it’s anyone’s guess if these projects will ever deliver.
Ratepayers are already on the hook for billions in subsidies, even as projects collapse or stagnate.
Betting the Grid on Hope and Hype
Defenders of Moore’s policies argue that clean energy will eventually pay off in lower costs and healthier communities. But “eventually” doesn’t heat homes in winter or keep air conditioners running during July blackouts. Nuclear power—arguably the one clean source capable of providing reliable baseload energy—is still years, if not decades, from being built out in Maryland.
In the meantime, Moore has chosen ideology over practicality. He prioritizes climate pledges and photo-op politics while ignoring the real-world consequences: a weaker grid, higher prices, and looming reliability crises.
The Bottom Line
Maryland families and businesses are being forced to bankroll an energy transition that isn’t ready for prime time. The Governor hasn’t ordered plant closures directly, but his policies and regulatory posture make them inevitable. And he’s offered no serious plan to bridge the gap between the power we’re losing now and the green future he envisions decades from now.
The result is the worst of both worlds: fossil fuel plants shuttered, renewable projects delayed, and ratepayers left footing the bill for an energy policy built on wishful thinking.
Governor Moore calls it “leadership.” Critics call it what it is: a dangerous gamble with Maryland’s future.
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