News

Utility regulators approve increase on supplier portion of Mainers’ electricity bills

Utility regulators approve increase on supplier portion of Mainers’ electricity bills

Photo: clipart.com


Mainers will see higher electricity rates with utility regulators approving new standard offer rates for next year.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced Wednesday that the average Central Maine Power customer will see the supply side of their monthly bills go up by about $11 after Jan. 1.

Versant Power residential customers will face an average increase of about $16 a month.

The standard offer is selected for customers by default if they don’t purchase electricity from an alternative supplier.

Those rates are not set by Central Maine Power or Versant Power, which only distribute electricity.

The news comes a day after the Maine PUC rejected CMP’s proposal for a five-year plan that would have led to an increase of about $35 for the average residential customer.

The plan called for a $1 billion investment to improve infrastructure and bring on more workers.

The commission said a rate increase is not out of the question, but the one rejected on Tuesday raised concerns about affordability.

CMP is expected to propose an alternative plan.

Latest Headlines

2 hours ago in Local

Missing teens found after traffic stop in Portland

Portland Police say they located two missing teenagers from the Augusta area during traffic stop overnight Thursday morning.

3 hours ago in Local

Lewiston man sentenced for manslaughter, OUI in connection with fatal crash

A Lewiston man was sentenced to five-and-a-half years behind bars for causing a fatal crash in Lewiston last spring.

8 hours ago in Sports, Trending

NFL teams are almost on the clock as draft night in the Steel City has arrived

Put aside the mock drafts because it's time for the real deal. The NFL draft is here in the Steel City.

9 hours ago in National, Trending

Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift

President Donald Trump's acting attorney general on Thursday signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, a major policy shift long sought by advocates who said cannabis should never have been treated like heroin by the federal government.

22 hours ago in Local

Augusta Police Look for Missing Man

Police say Zachary Allen was reported missing by his family Tuesday.