Central Maine Power (CMP) has asked the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to approve a new rate change.
This move comes several months after the Maine PUC unanimously rejected the utility’s most recent request to increase costs, arguing that the proposal “misse[d] the mark,” noting that Mainers are facing mounting affordability challenges.
Earlier this year, CMP signaled its intention to file for a rate increase this spring, costing the average household around $7 each month.
Because this rate change would coincide with the end date for other charges implemented to help pay for the utility’s response to recent years’ extreme winter storms, however, ratepayers could still expect to see their bills drop by around $4 monthly.
[RELATED: CMP Signals New Rate Increase Filing, Formal Proposal Expected in April]
“If authorized, this proposal will help protect customers from rising costs, reduce financial risk, continue to strengthen the grid, and lower the average residential bill by about four dollars a month starting this summer,” Linda Ball, CMP’s chief executive said in a written statement, as reported by the Portland Press Herald.
That said, Public Advocate Heather Sanborn emphasized that Mainers would see a much more substantial degree of monthly savings this summer if CMP were not attempting to raise rates.
“Without this temporary rate request, customers would see their bills go down by about $11 a month,” she explained.
While Sanborn has said that the rate increase is designed to increase profits, CMP has said that the additional revenue would go towards grid upgrades, more workers, and aggressive tree trimming, as reported by WGME.
“Today, we submitted a proposal that would reduce electricity bills starting this summer, striking a careful balance between affordability and reliable service,” CMP said in a statement shared by the outlet.
“As customers face rising costs across many parts of their lives, this proposal would help ease electric bills,” said Linda Ball, President and CEO of CMP. “This plan also allows us to continue the progress CMP has made in reducing both the frequency and duration of outages.”
“Frequent or prolonged outages can create real hardships for households, businesses, schools, healthcare providers, childcare centers, and others,” the utility said. “Our focus remains on preventing outages whenever possible and restoring power more quickly when they do occur.”
CMP is Maine’s largest utility, serving roughly 670,000 households statewide.
Although CMP expresses an interest in requesting a multi-year rate plan, it explain that it needs to wait to do so until the PUC provides additional and updated guidance for doing so.
[RELATED: Maine Has Highest 2024-2025 Energy Cost Increase With Staggering 36% Hike]
According to an Axios report from this past summer, Mainers saw the highest year-over-year increase in electricity costs nationwide between 2024 and 2025.
In just one year, from May 2024 to May 2025, Maine’s average residential energy costs increased by a staggering 36.3 percent.
Nationwide, there was an increase of just 6.5 percent during this same period.
Paying for your rich neighbors solar panels is getting expensive.
All because of solar panels for those that can actually afford a rate hike
IF (never happen) the state would cut the green crap and removed the $285.00 extra a year to pay for wind and solar projects that don’t work. I’d bet that would sure help us.
“In just one year, from May 2024 to May 2025, Maine’s average residential energy costs increased by a staggering 36.3 percent.” That is 600% of the increase for all the States in the U S of A. Those 420 pot growing places that Janet and her Brother are ignoring/aiding, sure due suck down the juice, 24 hours a day. Wonder how many of the pot palaces fail to pay their bills and leave them to be paid by the rest of us?
I’m going to invent a dirty little soft coal burning electric generator, that every Mainer can buy FOR LESS THAN the price of A HEAT PUMP . Make your own electricity !
I’ll sell them to anybody who wants one and promises to coat their entire neighborhood with grey black coal smoke and soot . Coal is organic goodness given to us from Mother Earth .
The smoke will be so dense you won’t see the windmills , and the solar panels will get all slimed up .
Watch the green heads explode around you . Purchase yours today !
Sanborn has lost her mind over CMP and remains in the losing camp that declares solar, wind and batteries will lower rates. Worst OPA ever.
The State wants more broadband cables attached to poles. The old skinny poles can,t take the accumulating weight of more and more cables.
Ditch the green stuff charged to our electric bills and CMP could afford to upgrade their lines and poles while distressed Maine people would still pay far less for electricity delivery.
Foolish commercial and grid tied solar and wind is why this unnecessary expense exists. I say ban the subsidies and go back to common sense generation, not liberal pipe dreams!! Common sense ain’t common anymore!!
Thos woman is a systemic liar. The Spaniards are simply ripping all good Mainers off. Criminal but Augusta is getting paid off. Businesses closing due to high electical costs . Pride Sports, Lumbra Lumber, just the most recent. Good jobs destroyed by the foriegn greed. They have no interest in “tree cutting” and imporoved service. This lady will burn in hell for selling her soul.
Are they looking for more people to lose their minds and shoot out sub stations… the astronomical costs of electricity is going to make people mad. Oh, wait, we have 300 dollars coming to us, that will be a huge help!
Does CMP really have to ask?
One of the most expensive electricity States in the country and they want more. Let’s see it the PUC has some “nads” and rightfully denies CMP’s request. Greedy turds!
Libby
Having a degree from Havahd, you should have used that degree to actually explain how the rates break down with regards to delivery fees, which CMP controls, taxes, fees, and subsidies, which government controls, and actual generation which is controlled by the corporations that own all the different sources of electricity generation.
By not doing so, you descend into the realm of mainstream news.
The answer is in: Deregulation.
Case study California (80’s?)
Just off the top of my head, on the headline. I will now read the article. Stay tuned for additional comments. That is, if you’re not already looking up the above.
Oh, in addition to “off the top of my head”…”They” have to get their rate increase BEFORE improvements (incoming). KAHPEESH? SAVY?
CMP needs more money, to offset the loss of customers, as smart people move out of this God forsaken state to greener pastures. They’re wasting their time. Property taxes, and thousands of new taxes are driving us away regardless. My Maine “home” will sit abandoned once I move to a new one, where there’s no severe winter, and severe electric bills to deal with. There’s lots of better places in America. Why stay in a “ghost state” and be taxed to death ?
“costing the average household around $7 each month”. Let me calculate that times 10, because this “average household” they constantly give as an example is a mythical entity that somehow has only a $50/mo electric bill. They are NEVER up front about the actual *percentage* rate increase that will tell you what you’ll really be paying.
Well just keep tearing the dams out which if rebuilt properly to get 24/7 hydro power, with proper fish ladders .
Transmission poles are made of wood. Chain saws like wood,that’s what a friend says.
aggressive tree trimming? they already cut down a tree on my property that would have made good firewood. but it was down in a spot that made it hard for my to get due to my back, now its probaly half rotten. had they put a few feet to the right i would have used it in my fireplace.
No, a hundred times No!! According to Salary.com, “As of April 2026, the average salary for Chief Executive Officer at Central Maine Power Co in the United States is $880,032 per year, which is equivalent to an hourly rate of approximately $423.”
“we’re raising your rates so you’ll pay less.”
Why don’t you just grab my arm, slam my fist into my face, and then tell me to stop hitting myself.
F solar, F wind, F Mills, and F the left