Background
The Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Technology will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM at
📍 Cross Building, Room 211, 111 Sewall St., Augusta, to discuss LD 568, "An Act to Modify the Process for Standard-offer Contracts with the Public Utilities Commission."
If you want to read LD 568, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?PID=1456&snum=132&paper=&paperld=l&ld=568
If you pick through the left side menu, you can find all kinds of good info!
In lieu of personally testifying in support of this bill, you may testify via Zoom, or by online testimony using the following link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/. Do this prior to the public hearing.
See below for EVERYTHING you're going to need to get this done, including testimony!
🔹 Steps to submit testimony online:
1️⃣ Click: "Public Hearing".
2️⃣ Choose a committee: "Energy, Utilities and Technology" - using the drop-down menu.
3️⃣ Choose date: March 6, 2025, 9:00 AM - using the drop-down menu.
4️⃣ Click: LD 568
5️⃣ Enter your testimony in the box (or click the checkbox if you want to testify via Zoom).
6️⃣ Complete your contact information.
7️⃣ Click: "I'm not a robot"
8️⃣ Click: "Submit/Register".
Action Time-Window
⚠️ Please consider taking action by March 4, 2025.
Template
The below is a community member's testimony. Feel free to use it, something of your own, or something as simple as "I support LD 568, and "it ought to pass." To get other wording ideas, as online testimony is submitted for this bill, you can see it here: https://legislature.maine.gov/ctl/EUT/03-06-2025?panel=0&time=0&sortdir=0&sortby=2 after clicking on the bill number.
I support LD 568 “An Act to Modify the Process for Standard-offer Contracts with the Public Utilities Commission.”
As I understand it, this bill limits standard-offer electricity service provider contracts to 6 months and requires that if at the end of the contract the Public Utilities Commission rejects all bids for a new standard-offer service contract, the expiring contract continues until the commission accepts a bid for a new contract.
I recall a couple years ago; the price of natural gas (used to generate electricity) went down. We were locked into a one-year standard offer electricity supply (current practice). We didn’t have the opportunity to take advantage of a lower rate. Give us the chance to do so!
Per the Portland Press Herald dated July 16 2023 Maine is the only state in New England where customers are locked into 'standard offer' prices for 12 months.” Why?
As energy consumers, we know the burden the high cost of our energy needs places on our budgets. Our electricity delivery and supply charges are high, and increasing constantly. With net energy billing fees plugged into our CMP bills, we’re subsidizing Chinese solar panel manufacturers and out of state solar field installers, for very little return. When do we get a break?
Again, I support LD 568 “An Act to Modify the Process for Standard-offer Contracts with the Public Utilities Commission”, and it “ought to pass.”
Credit for the above goes to our community member Danny (@DannyEmerson61) from the South Berwick Republican Committee (@BerwickSouth).
Disclaimer
A community member has shared this personal template for those who wish to express their views on LD 568. This template is not an official PTP position, and using it is entirely up to you. Pine Tree Patriots encourages civic participation but does not endorse or support specific actions or policies. Please remember this is an individual initiative.
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