Central Maine Power asks regulators for 5 years’ worth of rate hikes

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff

Central Maine Power is planning to ask state regulators for permission to raise its rates each year for the next five years starting with a big bump late next year.

The electrical utility, which is the largest in the state, issued a notice on Sept. 16 that it would file a request that day with the Maine Public Utilities Commission for approval of a five-year plan that would start Oct. 1, 2026.

Under the proposal, the bill of a typical residential customer using 550 kilowatt hours per month would go up by a total of $35 per month over the five-year term, generating a total of $427 million in revenue for the utility, according to CMP.

The increase would be steepest at the start, jumping $17 per month in the first year, then $5 per month the following year, $4 per month in each of the next two years, and $5 per month in the final year.

The request comes on the heels of another CMP rate hike approved by the PUC that took effect July 1 and was expected to add $4.91 per month to the bill of the average residential customer.

Gov. Janet Mills came out strongly against the new proposal, saying it “blatantly ignores the economic reality that Maine people face every day, especially seniors on fixed incomes, small businesses, and residents of rural Maine.” 

Mills acknowledged the importance of investing in the electrical grid, but called this request “massive and unacceptable.” 

Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn similarly expressed concern about adding to electric bills that many Mainers already struggle to pay at a time when the state is pressing for a transition from fossil fuels to electricity.

“We need to ensure electricity distribution costs don’t spiral out of control, especially as our state encourages people to electrify their homes and vehicles to meet climate goals. Affordability must remain front and center,” Sanborn said.

The PUC is accepting public comment through its website using case number 2025-00218.  

The commission has also scheduled two public hearings: 

— Oct. 14, 6 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St. in Freeport

— Oct. 15, 6 p.m., at the Maine Public Utilities Commission, 26 Katherine Drive in Hallowell