More than 3,000 Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers lost power on Friday morning amid a severe heat wave, with underground cable faults blamed for the widespread outages.
BGE Spokesperson Nick Alexopulos attributed the outages to “wear and tear that is expedited by extreme use and extreme heat.” At least 116 active outages were reported around 10:20 a.m., with that number falling to 102 by 2:11 p.m., affecting 586 customers at that later time.
The outages occurred during a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert declared by Baltimore City from July 1 through July 4, 2026. The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for the Baltimore area, with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees. BGE increased staffing over the weekend to restore power and respond to any additional incidents.
Heat-related power outages have become increasingly common across the United States. According to Climate Central, heat season outages now occur 60% more frequently than during 2000-2009, as extreme temperatures strain electrical infrastructure nationwide. The surge in cooling demand and stress on power grid infrastructure during heat waves creates conditions where underground cables—which lack the cooling benefits of above-ground lines—are particularly vulnerable to failure.
BGE advised customers to raise thermostats to comfortable but higher temperatures (targeting 78 degrees), close blinds and drapes during the day, and maintain air conditioning systems by having units serviced and cleaned. The utility also recommended avoiding placement of lamps or televisions near thermostats, as these appliances can cause air conditioners to run longer than necessary.
Sources
- CBS News Baltimore — Confirmed more than 3,000 BGE customers without power Friday morning; provided BGE spokesperson quote on extreme use and heat as cause
- Baltimore Sun — Reported underground cable faults from exceedingly high usage during the heat wave
- Climate Central — Documented that heat season power outages occur 60% more often than during 2000-2009
