Electricity rate hike would hurt Aroostook County

Residents of Aroostook County cannot take another electricity rate hike. Businesses and families are already struggling under a huge 45 percent rate hike that went into effect January 1. It has pushed standard offer rates from 7.89 cents per kilowatt hour to 8.25 cents.
    Now, the Northern Maine Independent System Administrator (NMISA) has proposed a federal rule change that would result in another rate increase for Maine Public Service Company customers. In short, the rule change would require suppliers to comply with a new capacity requirement and to sanction suppliers for failing to comply with it. This has nothing to do with how well MPS provides its services to customers.
NMISA claims that the change would not impact electricity rates, but this is not the truth. If approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the rule change would result in another 7.6 percent rate increase for the 37,000 customers served by MPS in Aroostook County.
In response to this unnecessary and unconscionable rule change, I have worked with Gov. Baldacci, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), U.S. Senators Snowe and Collins, and U.S. Congressmen Michaud and Allen to formulate a plan of action on behalf of the citizens of Aroostook County. On May 4, I joined the Governor and PUC Chairman Kurt Adams in filing a formal protest of the rule change with FERC. The protest argued that the proposed changes would increase rates, are unreasonable, and are unnecessary. We have called upon FERC to halt the change – hopefully federal agency will listen.
Further rate increases are unacceptable. We as a community need to stand up against anything that would further raise the electricity rates in Aroostook County. Residents here simply can’t afford it. We shouldn’t have to pay for an increase that won’t improve customer service or provide any other benefits to customers.
As always, I welcome your input on this or any issue of concern to you. I can be reached at 551-3097, RepJeremy.Fischer@legislature.maine.gov, or 6C Third St., Presque Isle, ME 04769.