Maine Rates Rise For Commercial Users

The price increase of about 25 per cent to 35 per cent over the comparable period last year covers a six-month period from March 1-Aug. 31, the PUC said.

"The recent cold weather, combined with higher energy prices throughout the world, resulted in higher bids for standard offer service than we were able to obtain last year," said Tom Welch, chairman of the PUC.

Standard offer service is the default supply for electricity customers, who continue to receive power from their old utilities, Central Maine Power Co. or Bangor Hydro-Electric Co., instead of buying it from a competitive provider.

About half of the medium-sized and large customers receive standard offer service.

The new standard offer prices for Central Maine commercial and industrial customers are, on average. about 5.9 cents/kilowatt hour (kWh) for the medium class and about 6.1 cents/kWh for the large class.

For Bangor Hydro customers the prices are, on average, 5.9 cents/kWh for the medium class and 5.8 cents/kWh for the large class.

Residential and small commercial customers in Cental Maine and Bangor Hydro territory are unaffected by this decision, said the PUC, noting those customers will continue to receive standard offer service at 5 cents/kWh through Feb. 2005.