Choice state: you can pick a supplierMaine Electricity Rates
Rate data for Maine is being refreshed. The regulator and market facts below are current; figures return with the next data load.
Can you choose your electricity supplier in Maine?
Yes. Maine opened its retail electricity market in 2000 under Maine Energy Choice, so you can buy the supply portion of your bill from a competitive supplier while your utility keeps delivering the power and handling outages.
ElectricRates.org does not yet list Maine plans. We add states as our enrollment partner brings their utilities online; you can compare and switch today in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington DC.
Rates and rules are overseen by the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Major utilities: Central Maine Power, Versant Power. Grid operator: ISO New England (northern Maine outside).
Get notified when Maine plans go live
One email when you can compare and switch here. Nothing else.
Notify meYour Maine utility only delivers power: the supply price is a Standard Offer the PUC re-auctions every January 1 (12.72 cents/kWh for CMP in 2026) unless you pick a competitive supplier or a community-solar subscription, and because about half of Maine homes still heat with oil, winter budgeting turns as much on HEAP fuel aid and Efficiency Maine heat pump rebates as on the electric bill.
Who will deliver your power in Maine
The utility is fixed by your address. These are the largest in the state, with what each says it needs from a new customer.
Central Maine Powerinvestor-owned
Maine's largest transmission-and-distribution utility, carrying 78.6% of the state's residential electric load (PUC table as of July 1, 2026); its customer service office is at 83 Edison Dr., Augusta. About 78.6% of statewide residential load, 3,660,694,909 kWh/yr (per Maine PUC); customer count not stated on a verifiable page.
CMP's Moving page says to have ready the service address, billing address if different, service start date, your Social Security Number and a second form of identification (for example a driver's license number), plus the name, SSN and phone number of anyone else authorized on the account; business customers must call. CMP's welcome page says that to turn on existing service you call its customer contact center at 800.750.4000 (live support Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Customer Service, 83 Edison Drive, Augusta, ME 04336). If CMP asks for proof of identification, you download its Application for Electric Service, have it notarized (bring a picture ID) and fax it to 207.629.2196 or email AOS@cmpco.com; CMP says any past-due bill must then be paid in full or put on a payment arrangement and a security deposit may also be required. CMP publishes no required lead time for a move-in; for brand-new construction it says a New Service Coordinator contacts you within 2 business days of the request. Statewide PUC Chapter 815 rules on deposits, ID and next-business-day connection apply (see startService).
Start service with Central Maine Power →Sources: cmpco.com, cmpco.com, cmpco.com, cmpco.com, cmpco.com, maine.gov, maine.gov
Versant Powerinvestor-owned
Eastern and northern Maine in two rate districts, the Bangor Hydro District and the Maine Public District, with towns in Penobscot, Hancock, Piscataquis, Washington, Waldo and Aroostook counties. About 13.5% (Bangor Hydro District) plus 3.9% (Maine Public District) of statewide residential load (per Maine PUC); customer count not stated on a verifiable page.
To activate service at an existing residence, call the Customer Contact Center at (207) 973-2000 (toll-free 1-855-363-7211). For a new connection, Versant says the typical process takes approximately eight days after planning is complete and a field technician contacts you within three business days of the request. Its Terms and Conditions say any residential deposit is set under Section 7 of PUC Chapter 815.
Start service with Versant Power →Sources: versantpower.com, versantpower.com, versantpower.com, maine.gov, maine.gov
Eastern Maine Electric Cooperativecooperative
Member-owned co-op based in Calais whose service area is divided into eleven zones in eastern Maine (town list by zone on its territory map). About 1.3% of statewide residential load (per Maine PUC); member count not stated on a verifiable page.
Member Services: 207-454-7555 or 800-696-7444 (21 Union Street, Calais). EMEC's site does not publish a public start-service page with ID, deposit or lead-time rules, so none are claimed here.
Kennebunk Light & Power Districtmunicipal
Consumer-owned district serving the Kennebunk area (listed by the PUC among cooperatives and municipal-owned utilities). About 1.3% of statewide residential load (per Maine PUC); customer count not stated on a verifiable page.
Residential service at an existing dwelling is started with an online form; KLPD asks you to allow up to 48 hours after submitting it for processing and says you will be notified if a deposit will be required. Phone (207) 985-3311.
Start service with Kennebunk Light & Power District →Houlton Water Companymunicipal
Consumer-owned utility serving Houlton (listed by the PUC among cooperatives and municipal-owned utilities). About 0.7% of statewide residential load (per Maine PUC); customer count not stated on a verifiable page.
Contact per the Office of the Public Advocate: 207-532-1212, 21 Bangor St., Houlton. The utility publishes no start-service page; call the office to open an account.
Deposits, ID, and supplier choice in Maine
Deposits. Under PUC Chapter 815, Section 7, a utility may demand a deposit from a residential applicant only in listed cases: an unpaid Maine residential balance (within six years at that utility, or 12 months at any utility), a balance paid only after a court judgment, disconnection for nonpayment or for theft of service in the past 12 months, a dismissed Chapter 13 repayment plan, or no income sufficient to pay for service. The deposit cannot exceed the two highest consecutive billing periods in the prior 12 months at that location; you must be offered at least three installments (first no more than 50%) or a third-party guarantor; and the deposit plus interest must be refunded within 30 days after 12 consecutive on-time bills leave no balance. (maine.gov)
Choosing a supplier. Yes. Maine's 2000 restructuring law (35-A M.R.S. §§3201-3217) lets residential customers buy supply from a PUC-licensed competitive electricity provider (CEP); anyone who does not choose gets Standard Offer service, priced by a PUC competitive bid that changes each January 1. Residential customers pay no fee to begin, leave or return to Standard Offer, may rescind a CEP contract within five calendar days of receiving its Terms of Service, and as of October 25, 2023 CEPs may not charge early termination fees. About 90 percent of residential and small-business customers remain on Standard Offer (sources: PUC Choosing a Supplier and Standard Offer Rates pages; OPA What to Consider page; Maine DOER Electricity Prices page).
Chapter 815 says a utility must provide service by the end of the next business day after the request (or after any deposit or past balance is paid) where facilities already exist, may require adequate proof of identification, and on request must give a prospective customer or tenant the prior 12 months of electric usage and cost for a dwelling free of charge. During the Winter Disconnection Period, November 15 through April 15, a utility may not send a residential customer any notice setting a disconnection date and must get permission from the PUC's Consumer Assistance Division before disconnecting (the Office of the Public Advocate summarizes this as: your power may not be disconnected while the winter period is in effect), and customers at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines or eligible for HEAP or SSI can declare a Special Payment Arrangement.
Sources: maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov
Help paying an electric bill in Maine
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP / LIHEAP, Maine)
MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority) through local Community Action Agencies
Homeowners and renters whose gross household income is within the 2026-2027 limits, for example $38,070 a year for one person or $73,213 for four; applications for 2026-2027 opened August 3, 2026 and run until funds run out or May 29, 2027, online at ecos.mainehousing.org or by appointment with a Community Action Agency, with names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and proof of citizenship for everyone in the household, proof of income, recent energy bills and heating fuel type.
Sources: mainehousing.org, mainehousing.org, maine.gov
Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP)
MaineHousing through Community Action Agencies (crisis assistance for HEAP-eligible households)
HEAP-eligible households facing an energy crisis such as very low heating fuel; the PUC says a household may get up to $800 in emergency funds between November 1 and April 30, and MaineHousing lists the 2026-2027 ECIP window as November 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, starting with a HEAP application.
Sources: maine.gov, mainehousing.org
Weatherization Assistance Program
MaineHousing through Community Action Agencies
Income-eligible homeowners, renters (with owner approval) and owners of 2- to 4-unit buildings; eligibility is often based on HEAP participation, services (air sealing, insulation, heating system improvements) are free to eligible households, and applying for HEAP automatically considers you for weatherization.
Source: mainehousing.org
Low-Income Assistance Program (LIAP) — called the Electricity Lifeline Program (ELP) at CMP
Electric utilities (CMP, Versant and consumer-owned utilities) apply the benefit; applications run through MaineHousing's HEAP process and Community Action Agencies, and DHHS identifies eligible households
Households eligible for HEAP and/or in a DHHS means-tested program with income at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines, with the account in a household member's name and no housing subsidy that caps utility costs. As of October 1, 2026 DHHS uses SNAP, TANF and MaineCare data to enroll households automatically and for CMP and Versant customers the benefit became a monthly bill discount: CMP's ELP discounts 81%, 56%, 44% or 25% of the bill for income groups of 0-75%, 76-100%, 101-125% and 126-150% of poverty (about $127.82 down to $39.49 a month at 550 kWh), and Versant's LIAP discounts 79/52/38/17% in the Bangor Hydro District and 83/60/48/31% in the Maine Public District.
Sources: maine.gov, mainehousing.org, maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, versantpower.com
Arrearage Management Program (AMP)
Central Maine Power and Versant Power (required of investor-owned utilities by Maine law), with Community Action Agencies
Residential customers eligible for HEAP or LIAP with a past-due balance of $500 or more that is at least 90 days old; Versant forgives up to 100% of the balance, up to $6,000, as one-twelfth each month (capped at $500) when the current bill is paid on time, and applicants for new service who qualify must pay 10% of the arrearage up to $500.
Sources: versantpower.com, maine.gov, versantpower.com
Efficiency Maine heat pump and weatherization rebates
Efficiency Maine Trust
Any Maine household: whole-home heat pump rebates are $1,000 per rebate-eligible outdoor unit at any income, $2,000 for moderate income and $3,000 for low income, plus a $500-per-housing-unit bonus for projects completed and claimed March 1 through December 31, 2026, and a separate $3,000 supplemental rebate for one heat pump in low-income households. The PUC also notes up to $8,000 in Efficiency Maine weatherization rebates for insulation and air sealing.
Sources: efficiencymaine.com, efficiencymaine.com, efficiencymaine.com, maine.gov
Winter Special Payment Arrangement
Electric and gas utilities under Maine PUC policy
During November 15 through April 15, residential customers whose income does not exceed 150% of federal poverty guidelines, or who are eligible for HEAP or SSI, can declare eligibility for an arrangement that lets them pay less than the full bill in winter and catch up over the following months with no late charges while they keep the plan.
Source: maine.gov
Programs that change what you pay
- Rooftop solar (net metering)available
- Maine calls it Net Energy Billing (NEB): the kWh-credit program is open to all electric utility customers for renewable generators under 5 MW, either on your own roof or as a share of a project elsewhere in the same utility territory, and unused credits expire after 12 months (governed by PUC Chapter 313).
Source: maine.gov
- Community solaravailable
- Community solar is the shared form of NEB: you subscribe to a project anywhere in your utility's territory, get kWh credits on your utility bill, and pay the solar company a separate bill about 45-60 days later; companies typically promise 10-15% annual savings, credits expire after one year, you may cancel until five days after the first solar bill, since LD 1777 (June 27, 2025) you cannot subscribe with more than one company, and per the OPA Electricity Guide banked credits are lost if you close your account without moving to another location in the same utility territory.
Source: maine.gov
- Time-of-use ratesavailable
- Versant offers a Home Eco Time-of-Use Rate (whole-home, cheaper nights and weekends for EV charging or storage) and a Home Heating Eco Rate for homes that get at least 50% of their heat from heat pumps or a heat pump water heater, in both districts (enroll at 207-973-2000); the Maine DOER says optional rates for electric heating such as heat pumps are available from both CMP and Versant.
Source: versantpower.com
Questions people ask before moving to Maine
How far ahead should I set up electricity before moving to Maine?
PUC Chapter 815 requires a utility to connect an existing address by the end of the next business day after your request (or after any required deposit is paid), so a few days' notice is enough for a move-in; CMP says to call 800.750.4000 to turn on existing service and publishes no required lead time, Versant takes activation requests at (207) 973-2000 and says brand-new connections typically take about eight days after planning, and Kennebunk Light & Power asks for up to 48 hours to process its online form.
Sources: maine.gov, cmpco.com, versantpower.com, klpd.org
Will I have to pay a deposit to turn on power in Maine?
Only in the situations PUC Chapter 815 lists, such as an unpaid Maine utility balance, a disconnection for nonpayment or theft in the past 12 months, or no income sufficient to pay for service; a deposit cannot exceed your two highest consecutive bills in a year, must be offered in at least three installments (or replaced by a guarantor), and is refunded with interest after 12 consecutive on-time payments. CMP's Application for Electric Service page adds that after it reviews a notarized application any past-due amount must be paid in full or put on a payment arrangement, and a security deposit may also be required.
Who delivers my electricity in Maine, and can I pick a different supplier?
Delivery is a regulated monopoly tied to your address (Central Maine Power for most of the state, Versant Power in the east and north, or a consumer-owned utility such as EMEC or Kennebunk Light & Power), but the supply portion is open: you can sign with a licensed competitive electricity provider or stay on the PUC's Standard Offer, which has no contract, no switching fee for residential customers, and no early termination fee since October 25, 2023.
Sources: maine.gov, maine.gov, maine.gov, versantpower.com
What is the Standard Offer and what does electricity cost in Maine in 2026?
The Standard Offer is the default supply price the PUC sets each year by competitive bid; for January 1 to December 31, 2026 it is 12.72 cents/kWh for CMP, 12.95 cents for Versant's Bangor Hydro District and 14.88 cents for Versant's Maine Public District (up about 20-28% from 2025), and the Maine DOER puts the total bill for a typical 550 kWh month as of July 1, 2026 at $157.13 (CMP), $177.81 (Bangor Hydro) and $173.53 (Maine Public), with delivery and supply each roughly half.
How do Maine homes heat, and what help is there with winter heating costs?
About 50 percent of Maine households still heat primarily with fuel oil (down from 70 percent in 2010) and the state burns more residential heating oil per capita than any other; MaineHousing's HEAP helps income-eligible households with oil, propane, wood or electric heat, Efficiency Maine's heat pump rebates run $1,000 to $3,000 per outdoor unit by income (plus a $500 bonus through December 31, 2026), and over 200,000 heat pumps have been installed in Maine homes and businesses.
Sources: maine.gov, maine.gov, mainehousing.org, efficiencymaine.com, efficiencymaine.com
Researched 2026-10-15 from utility, regulator, and agency pages; every statement links to where it was read. Rules change: confirm deposits and program dates with the utility or agency before you rely on them.
Every state ranked by residential rate, updated weekly: Electricity Rates by State →