THE
FACTS
THE
FACTS
MAINE LEGISLATORS: WE NEED YOUR HELP
SUPPORT THE BIPARTISAN
COMPROMISE BILL 1347 THAT
SAVES MONEY
FOR MAINERS.
Maine ratepayers’ electric costs just went up $135 Million this week because of NEB. Many Mainers have received notice their electricity bills are going up between 18% and 38%. That’s not fair. But our legislators can stop these increases from getting worse by supporting a bipartisan consumer protection compromise: LD 1347.
Join AARP, Maine’s Public Advocate, and consumer groups in supporting a compromise that limits skyrocketing costs. Electric rates are hurting Mainers, but our legislators can help lower our costs. And, they can do it in a beneficial compromise that’s fair to solar companies and Maine ratepayers.
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Net Energy Billing inflates electricity costs for all Mainers—including those who participate in community solar programs.
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Maine’s broken Net Energy Billing projects cost FIVE TIMES MORE than equally useful solar routinely purchased by utilities. Some NEB projects this year have rates of 25 cents per kWh, while Maine Public Utilities Commission routinely purchases equally useful solar for less than 5 cents per kWh. Maine families cannot afford this expensive mistake.
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We believe solar should benefit Maine people, not Wall Street investors. That’s why we support equally useful solar that costs a FRACTION of the price of NEB programs.
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Maine PUC records show 87% of Maine’s NEB project sponsors are out-of-state groups. 27% alone are in Massachusetts. This is NOT Maine community solar. Our Legislature has the power to fix this.
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Maine’s utilities, energy consumers, and MPUC all estimate NEB projects will cost at least $220 million per year for 20 years. That’s an undisputed cost of at least $4 BILLION to Maine ratepayers.
Community solar program will cost Mainers $220M a year by 2025
Bangor Daily News
April 13, 2023
Numerous states are backing away from expensive NEB programs like Maine’s
Solar Power World
April 19, 2022