A ‘drafting error’ in a 2025 law could force dozens of residents to forfeit investments in community solar. Lawmakers are working on a fix.

March 3, 2026

Daniel Kool
Staff Writer

Gregory Anderson thought he’d done everything right.

In 2021, the Litchfield resident bought shares in a community solar development from ReVision Energy. With a one-time investment of about $16,000, he was able secure about 2.5 kilowatts, enough to cover nearly all of his household’s power needs. He figured with energy prices ever increasing, buying a lot of energy in bulk would save him money down the line while helping reduce his emissions.

In the years since, his family bought a plug-in hybrid car and switched from propane to heat pumps, driving up the household’s electricity usage. To keep pace, Anderson bought another share last year: about 7.5 kW for more than $25,000.

But a recent change to the state’s net energy billing rules could force Anderson to forfeit one of those shares — and all the energy savings it promised.

“Out of the blue, we get this letter from (Central Maine Power Co.) saying we could only take credits from one solar farm,” Anderson said on a phone call Monday.

The letter, which was received by many customers throughout the state, pointed to a new rule from the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

The rule was born from commissioners’ interpretation of a law passed last year that, among other things, required the commission to “prohibit participation in more than one net energy billing agreement” per residential utility account. Commissioners issued the rule in early February.

“You’re trying to do the right thing by going with alternative energy sources, and you’ve invested a lot of money in it,” Anderson said. “It feels kind of like a penalty.”

Continue reading at https://www.pressherald.com/2026/03/03/how-a-change-to-net-energy-billing-could-cost-a-few-mainers-tens-of-thousands/

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