Maine Public | By Peter McGuire
Published March 24, 2026 at 2:52 PM EDT

A new Maine law will require state utility regulators to focus on lowering consumer energy costs.

"An Act Regarding Energy Fairness" comes at a time when Maine households are struggling with high electric bills.

The measure directs the Maine Public Utilities Commission to consider affordability of electricity for residential customers when setting new electric rates.

The commission also needs to develop an affordability metric to determine the impact of electric bills to the overall energy burden for households.

Regulators will also have to disclose the credit and collection activities of the state's largest investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant Power.

The law requires a review of electric delivery rates to determine if there are ways to contain consumer costs, reduce bill volatility and improve bill transparency.

Continue reading at https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-03-24/maine-passes-law-to-prioritize-affordable-electric-rates

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