Versant Power customers will see an increase in their bills starting July 1st.
The hike will range from 31 cents for residents in the Bangor to almost $3.00 for residents in Aroostook and Penobscot counties.
Specifically, customers in the Bangor Hydro district who are using 500 kilowatt-hours a month will see a 31-cent increase for delivery and standard offer while customers who use 750 kilowatt-hours per month will see around a $1.50 increase.
In the other area Versant operates, the Maine Public district, the increase for customers who use 500-kilowatt hours will be a little under $3 a month while customers who use 750 kilowatt-hours per month will see around a $4.50 and increase.
The increase is being allowed by the Maine Public Utilities Commission because of costs driven by state legislation to support Maine’s climate and clean energy goals. It also includes penalty costs against Versant for failing to meet reliability and performance benchmarks.
“(The costs) include expenses associated with renewable energy contracts, net energy billing programs, and other policy-driven initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting clean energy development,” said a statement Tuesday from the Public Utilities Commission. “Included…is a $3 million service quality indices (SQI) penalty imposed on Versant Power for failing to meet Commission-established reliability and performance benchmark.”
The hike follows a larger increase in Versant customer bills that took place in April.
Versant encourages customers who have questions about bill changes to call their Customer Contact Center
Versant is the state’s second-largest electric utility, with about 165,000 customers in northern and eastern Maine.
