Maine now has 23,000 community solar project subscribers and 1,000 projects built or in the pipeline. Bill Harwood, Public Advocate for the state says the 2019 law requiring Maine’s two utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant, to pay 20 cents per kilowatt hour for solar energy that costs less than 10 cents to generate, needs to be readjusted. Per Tony Buxton, representing the Industrial Energy Consumer Group, the legislature set a price for solar energy which had nothing to do with either the value of the power or the cost of producing it.”
CMP Communications Director Jon Breed said, “We support the Office of the Public Advocate’s efforts to seek a fair and balanced compromise on solar policy that continues to build on the progress already made while providing financial relief to our customers, especially those who are struggling to pay their bills.”