Maine electric ratepayers could get refunds for 15 years of overpaying for power transmission

by Long Islander

yesterday

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire
Published March 30, 2026 at 7:03 PM EDT

New England electric customers including Maine ratepayers could get more than $1 billion in refunds after federal energy regulators ruled this month that transmission utilities were paid inflated profits for years.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission draws to a close a case against the utilities that was first filed in 2011, said Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn.

"We're hopeful that transmission rates will come down as a result of this ruling and also that 15 years of overpayments will eventually be refunded to customers through their rates," Sanborn said.

Electric customers pay for transmission of power from generators such as power plants to local distribution lines. Transmission is owned by the same companies that distribute power, and earn profit from their infrastructure investments, including Central Maine Power and Versant Power, Sanborn said.

Continue reading at https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2026-03-30/maine-electric-ratepayers-could-get-refunds-for-15-year-of-overpaying-for-power-transmission

 

 

************************************* 


Fair Use Notice: This website may reproduce or have links to copyrighted material the use of which has not been expressly authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available, without profit, as part of our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, economic, scientific, and related issues. It is our understanding that this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided by law. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

 

  • Dan McKay

    So, a regulartory agency(FERC) can retroactivate and lower rates of returns and make companies rebate customers. Why the hell isn't the PUC, a regulatory agency, examining the rates of returns received from net energy billing companies, power purchase contracted companies and incentivized renewable energy companies and determining if their rates are reasonable and whether profits are overly inflated? Why does the OPA say nothing about the gross profits these renewable companies strip from electric customers? Where are the rebates owed? Why isn't Efficiency Maine Trust examined for the obscene amounts of ratepayer money they spend? The OPA seems very selective on who they sue ?

    yesterday

  • Dudley G. Gray

    The office of Public Advocacy needs to be eliminated. It has done nothing for Maine Ratepayers except blame Nat Gas prices for the KWH rate increases, which is patently false.

    DGG

    yesterday