The Problem: Maryland Is Running Out of Power

Full disclosure: the following solution was presented to me by Dr. Thomas Day, a constituent with far greater expertise in the energy sector than I could ever claim. That said, I find his proposal both intriguing and highly achievable if only the green extremists would pause their war on anything that isn’t wind or solar.

Maryland’s electricity supply is stretched thin and shrinking. Without action, Maryland will face:

• Rolling blackouts by summer 2026
• Loss of new businesses and data centers to other states
• Higher energy bills for families and businesses
• Reduced reliability and economic risk

Renewable sources like solar and wind alone cannot power our state. Even if every rooftop in Maryland had solar panels, it still wouldn’t produce enough electricity. And there’s one big problem: solar doesn’t work at night, and wind doesn’t work without wind.

Nuclear energy is clean and reliable, but building new nuclear plants takes many years, and Maryland needs solutions now.

A Better Path Forward

The smart, fast, and financially responsible solution that Maryland can implement today:

Build Natural Gas Power Stations at Anne Arundel County Landfills

Landfills naturally produce gas from decomposing waste. Right now, that gas is just being burned off or sold cheaply. Instead, Maryland can use it to generate electricity.

What makes this smart?

• Uses existing state-owned land (no need to buy property)
• Uses landfill gas-free fuel and supplements with natural gas (Anne Arundel County does this now)
• Power plants can be built quickly, in less than a year, if one has the appetite
• Generates over $190 million per year in electricity revenue
• Can pay for itself in about three years

These plants would be small, clean, efficient and highly reliable, capable of producing power 24/7.

The costs incurred to perform this are as follows for a single power station:

• Quantity 2 General Electric (GE) H-Class 7HA.03 turbine generators at a 430-megawatt max: $250 million installed with accessories
• There is always the issue of wait times. These turbines are in high demand. If GE cannot deliver in a 24-week asset retirement obligation (ARO) window, there are alternatives.
• Building/structure to house turbines $200,000
• Federal permitting: $250,000
• Site engineering: $500,000
• Local permitting: Should be waived as it is state/county property
• Interconnects to the grid: $250,000
• Control/monitoring systems: $1.25 million
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning: $1 million
• Office/facilities: $1 million
• Contingency $100 million

The cost profile looks like this for a single location:

Expected revenue from a single year of continuous service:

• Hourly expected raw generating revenue (375,000 times .06 equals $22,500 per hour)
• 24 hours-per-day generating capabilities ($22,500 times 24 equals $540,000)
• Assume 360 days of operation with a five-day buffer ($540,000 times 360 equals $194.4 million)
• Return on investment: ($606 million divided by $194.4 million equals $3.11 million per year)

What Maryland Must Do Now

Time is short. Maryland must:

• Approve natural gas power station construction at two Anne Arundel County landfills.
• Use revenue from electricity sales, not taxpayers, to fund these projects.

This solution is practical, affordable and proven. More than 2,000 towns across America already operate their own power stations. There is no reason Maryland cannot do the same.

Final Thought

This energy crisis is coming, and we can either prepare now or pay later. By taking smart, local action today, Maryland can secure reliable power, protect jobs, attract major industries, and keep our energy affordable for every family and business.

Energy independence isn’t just a policy goal; it’s a necessity for Maryland’s future.