Central Maine Power Customers Will See A Double-Digit Rate Increase Next Month

Central Maine Power customers will see more than an 11% increase in their bills, starting next month, which will cost the typical residential ratepayer more than $100 a year. The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved the increase Wednesday.

The regulators emphasized that most of the increase is due to federal actions, including a hike in the amount of money all New England ratepayers must contribute to finance the regional grid. CMP says that decision is having an outsized effect on its customers because, while New England as a whole has decreased its electricity usage in recent years, CMP’s customers have actually increased theirs.

Although it’s the biggest electricity bill increase in recent memory, the costs of last year’s storm recovery could have made it worse. But state regulators agreed to CMP’s proposal to spread consumers’ share of that $70 million expense over two years.

Megan Diver

Megan has worked in Maine politics for more than ten years and all of her professional career, having served in many roles for elected officials (including former Secretary of State Charlie Summers), in-house with the Maine Association of REALTORS®, legislative specialist at Pierce Atwood LLP providing lobbying services and support to Pierce Atwood’s government relations clients and most recently senior government relations specialist at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Megan currently is the Vice President at the Maine Energy Marketers Association, utilizing her vast knowledge and legislative experience at the State House to represent MEMA on policies relating to the Association and its members.