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UNDERSTANDING YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

This page provides information on understanding your electric bill and options for reducing your electricity usage or making payments. You can navigate directly to the part of the page you are most interested in with the menu below!

This webinar provides background on why the electric grid is structured as it is. It also gives an overview of your electric bill, including how the final cost is determined and Central Maine Power's role in delivering electricity

COMPONETNS OF YOUR BILL

Your monthly Central Maine Power (CMP) bill contains three pages: 

  1. Overview: This page will include your account information, a summary of your upcoming payment, a graph of your monthly usage, and, on the left-hand side, messages from CMP. 

  2. Delivery: This page outlines the charges you incurred for the delivery of electricity to your property. This portion of the bill is paid to CMP, as they are the entity that distributes power in southern Maine. 

  3. Supply: This page outlines the charges you incurred for using electricity. This portion of the bill is paid out to the energy supplier you have selected. Many folks utilize the standard offer, which is the default energy supply mix.

The delivery charges you incur help fund the maintenance and improvement of the transmission and distribution infrastructure. Delivery costs can also include policy and stranded costs, to help cover major storm repairs, net energy billing, and assistance programs. â€‹â€‹

Want to learn a bit more about transmission and distribution infrastructure? 

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Check out this video! 

Your electricity usage, the kWh charge, is based on the readings from your meter. As electricity flows into your home, the meter tracks how much is used over time. While it doesn't often happen because most homes use smart meters, the utility may occasionally skip your meter and estimate your usage based on past bills. If the estimate is too high, you may end up overpaying without realizing it. You can spot an estimate on your bill by looking for the word “estimated” in the meter details section, or look for unusual spikes or drops in your usage. If this happens to you, contact your utility and request an actual meter reading to correct the bill. 

What is a kilowatt-hour?
Electric power is measured in watts. 1000 watts of power used for 1 hour is a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy. For example, a 100-watt bulb lit for 10 hours uses 1 kWh of energy

Your delivery charge is broken into two charges:

  1. Fixed service charge - the base charge you get for being connected to the grid

  2. kWh charge - the cost based upon the amount of energy you use monthly

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The price of these charges is determined by the delivery rate you have selected. There are two options: standard rate, time-of-use rate, and the electric technology rate. 

Standard Rate 

By default, residential customers of Central Maine Power (CMP) are enrolled in Rate A, which is the Residential Service delivery rate. As of January 1, 2026, this includes a fixed service charge of $30.21 for the first 50 kWh and a per-kWh charge of $0.136474. 

Time of Use Rate 

This rate is designed to shift when in the day you use electricity. It has two kWh rate charges, one for peak demand and one for off-peak demand. Peak demand is 5 pm to 9 pm Monday through Friday, and off-peak is all other hours. 

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With this rate, as of January 1, 2026, the fixed service charge is $26.71, and the kWh rates are $0.503144 for peak hours and $0.067452 for off-peak hours. 

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It's important to note that if you continue your regular electricity usage after switching to this rate, your electric bills will increase significantly. Instead, you need to make changes to shift your energy usage to off-peak hours, such as running the dishwasher at night or 

doing laundry in the early morning. 

Electric Technology Rate

This rate is designed to support the adoption of home energy upgrades, such as installing heat pumps or charging an EV at home. â€‹As of January 1, 2026, this includes a fixed service charge of $41.24 for the first 50 kWh and a per-kWh charge of $0.105550. While there is a higher monthly service fee, it can be offset by the savings on consumption, since the per-kWh cost is lower.

If you want to compare the various delivery rates, you can use this calculator from CMP. Simply plug in your kWh usage from past bills and instantly compare! 

​Why Are Electric Rates Increasing?​​​

Many factors affect the cost of electricity, including: 

  1. Aging Infrastructure: The electric grid is outdated and needs upgrades, so prices increase to cover the additional funding needed to complete these improvements. 

  2. Maintenance and Repair: There are ongoing maintenance and repair costs that must be funded, as well as funding needed to recover after severe storm events. 

  3. ​Reliance on Natural Gas: The majority of Maine's electricity is generated at natural gas facilities. This makes the state vulnerable to the price volatilty of natural gas. This further exacerbated by world events, such as wars. 
Figure 1. Electricity Generation by Source, Maine (2024).png

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Typically, to avoid having your electricity disconnected, you need to make a monthly payment; it does not need to be the full amount. Doing this frequently can leave you with a backlog of payments and create a much larger financial burden. There are places to reach out to if you need assistance. 

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1. Your Local Community Action Agency (CAA)​

For residents in the Energy Navigator region, this means reaching out to York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC). However, you can find your local CAA here. Through your local CAA, you can apply for programs such as the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). If you are found eligible for HEAP, you will be able to receive assistance paying for your heating costs. If you use electricity to heat your home HEAP funding can be applied to offset some of that cost. Enrollment in HEAP also qualifies you for additional programs such as the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP). 

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2. Electricity Lifeline Program (ELP)

The Electricity Lifeline Program offers eligible customers a credit to help lower their monthly bills. To apply for this program, you need to contact your local CAA. Eligibility is determined by your annual income and past electricity usage. Learn more here! â€‹

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3. Oxygen Pump/Ventilator Assistance Program 

This program provides an additional add-on to the ELP assistance. It is available to CMP customers who must use an oxygen pump or ventilator for at least eight hours per day for health-related reasons. If you already have ELP and want to enroll in this program as well, you can access an application here. 

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4. Arrearage Management Program (AMP)

This program, through CMP, helps you catch up on payments and clear a backlog that may have built up. To access this program, you must be enrolled in HEAP or ELP and have a balance of $500 or more, with at least one payment over 90 days past due. While on the program, you will not need to pay your past-due amount; instead, you will be billed for your current monthly usage. Each month that you pay, CMP will apply a credit to your past due. Up to $6,000 in credits can be applied to your past due, and if you have over $6,000, you can reapply the following year. You can learn more about the program here and complete the application here. 

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5. Town General Assistance 

If you need immediate or more urgent assistance with getting your electricity turned back on or preventing a disconnection, you may be able to get support from your town's General Assistance office. 

Tips on How to Save Electricity! 

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