If you are a customer of Central Maine Power, there is a good chance that you could see your rates increase, again.

According to the KJ, Central Maine Power is asking the Public Utilities Commission to allow them to increase power rates over the next three years.  According to the newspaper's article, the average consumer could see a rate increase of about $10 per month by 2026.

That doesn't seem like a whole lot, but it adds up.  That's an extra $120 per year.

Why do they want to up the rates?  The Kennebec Journal article says they plan to use the extra money to upgrade the power delivery infrastructure.  Improvements would improve making the delivery systems less likely to fail during storms, make it easier to restore power faster after outages, and it would enable more renewable power generators to hook up to the state's grid.  This final part is important as we make the move toward more green energy.

Both Maine Governor Janet Mills and former Maine governor (and gubernatorial candidate) Paul LePage have vowed to fight against these increases.

The PUC was notified yesterday that CMP plans to file for a rate increase this summer.

The article goes on to explain:

For an average home customer using 550 kilowatt-hours a month, the plan would increase a total electric bill by roughly $5 a month in 2023, and up to $2.50 a month in each of the following two years.

What are your thoughts?  Is the increase in the rate, which will go up incrementally over three years, worth the benefits of the updated grid?

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