With electric bills in hand, attendees filled the Community Center May 13 to hear how to reduce expenses from Elizabeth Deprey, consumer advisor from Maine Public Utilities Commission's (PUC) Public Advocate Office.  

Deprey explained, public utilities provide essential services and are typically regulated by the government, so they don’t take advantage of consumers in areas where they have natural monopolies. For instance, there are not multiple electric lines, so Central Maine Power (CMP) has a regional monopoly. PUC represents the interests of ratepayers at the state and federal levels.  

Deprey shared three ways to reduce electric bills. The first is choosing the right rates. An electric bill is split into two parts: the supplier of the electricity and the utilities that deliver it (ex: CMP). Most people have the Standard Offer Service negotiated by the PUC, which is about 13 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Supply rates for competitive providers can be found on the state website (maine.gov/supplyrates).

For delivery rates, CMP offers an “Electric Technology” rate for those who use a large amount of electricity due to an electric car or other large appliance. For people who use at least 86% of their total usage outside the peak hours of 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, a “Time-Of-Use" rate might be the right switch.

Usage information is on the CMP website under Energy Manager. This provides hour-by-hour data and is updated every one to two days. Deprey said consulting the manager can be helpful when a bill spikes unexpectedly, so consumers can narrow down when large consumption occurred. She explained that certain household items cause high usage, including home cooling (air conditioners), home warming (space heaters, ovens, dryers, etc.), motorized items (swimming or well pumps) and water heaters. TVs, computers, humidifiers and dehumidifiers are also high energy users. If an appliance is using more energy than usual, this could be a signal it needs repair or is dying.  

Another option to offset CMP bills is buying into community solar, which can save 10-15% in a year. For each credit purchased from the solar provider, it offsets one kWh of electricity usage. This usually results in a smaller utility bill, with a larger bill coming from the solar company.

“The trick to making sure that you do get that promised savings is to make sure your subscription size is correct for your usage, because you don't want to buy too many solar credits,” said Deprey. Currently, unused credits disappear, but PUC is working on a bill that requires solar companies to reimburse them.  

She cautioned that solar bills will be higher in the summer when more energy is generated, so be aware of price fluctuations. It’s also important to be sure before signing up, because it can take up to six months to cancel a subscription. Consult the town office to find regional solar companies.

Deprey’s last recommendation was to reach out to the utility company if you cannot pay your bill. Many offer payment arrangements to make things more manageable, such as paying a little more each month to offset high energy usage in the winter or summer. She emphasized the importance of contacting CMP first. “I know it sounds crazy. I know that some of us may not always feel like CMP is here to help us, but I'm here to tell you that if the community action agency calls (and CMP hasn’t heard from you), it's not going to look good for you.”

Additional assistance can be reached by calling 211 or visiting 211maine.org. If children are involved, the Maine Office for Family Independence may be able to help. Veterans can connect with USA Cares or Veterans Forward.  

The full lecture is on BRTV's Vimeo.