The Administrative Meeting held by the Public Service Commission of Maryland on January 18, 2025, focused on critical issues surrounding the functionality and accessibility of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the state. The meeting began with a presentation highlighting the significant number of utility-owned charging sites, particularly those managed by Pepco and Delmarva Power and Light, that have been non-operational for extended periods.

A key point raised during the meeting was the ongoing problem of charging stations being energized yet unable to initiate a charge. One specific example discussed was the Acredale Community Park in College Park, Maryland, which has reportedly been offline for nearly a year, showing a drastic drop in usage since early 2024. The speaker emphasized the impact of these outages on EV users, recounting an incident where a family was stranded at a non-functional DC fast charger while trying to reach Ocean City.

The discussion also touched on the Department of Energy's data, which indicated that ten utility-owned charging locations were temporarily unavailable, further illustrating the scale of the issue. The speaker expressed concern over a proposed expenditure of one million dollars for replacing potentially faulty SIM card holders, questioning whether this investment would effectively resolve the reliability issues that have plagued these charging stations.

Commissioner Barbay acknowledged the speaker's testimony and inquired about the placement of charging stations in relation to amenities. The speaker noted that many utility-owned chargers are not conveniently located near restaurants or restrooms, which could deter usage. This lack of accessibility was highlighted as a significant drawback, particularly for those relying on these stations during travel.

The meeting concluded with a call for a more thorough evaluation of the utility-owned charging stations, suggesting that a case-by-case assessment might be necessary to determine the viability of replacing non-functional units. The discussions underscored the need for improved infrastructure and reliability in Maryland's EV charging network to better serve the growing number of electric vehicle users.