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From left, Democrat Hannah Pingree, independent Rick Bennett and Republican Bobby Charles. Photos of Pingree and Bennett by Erin Rhoda; contributed photo of Charles; background photo by the Associated Press.

Maine’s next governor will walk a tightrope between energy affordability and climate action

As Mainers prepare to choose a new governor in November, climate and energy issues may not be top of mind for every voter — but they are having big effects on residents’ lives. 

The average cost of heating oil recently soared to a record high of more than $6 per gallon, promising an expensive winter ahead for the half of Maine households heated by oil-powered boilers and furnaces. The cost of electricity has also risen steeply, at the third-highest rate in the nation over the past 10 years. 

At the same time, the effects of climate change are harming the state. Boom-and-bust rain and drought cycles are making farming more difficult. Rising temperatures are putting pressure on many plants and animals, including economically important species such as lobster. Sea level rise and worsening storms are eating away the coastline and damaging infrastructure.

All three candidates running for governor agree that energy affordability is a priority. And all acknowledge the reality of climate change. But they disagree on whether these problems can be tackled together.

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The Public Utilities Commission is set to decide soon whether to approve Central Maine Power’s request for a temporary rate increase of $7 per month for the average residential customer. On Monday, Sep. 28, the agency’s staff recommended that the commissioners reject the request, citing the fact that the requested amount is disputed, may be confusing to customers, and is part of a larger, complex rate case.

In response, Central Maine Power released a written statement saying, “Unfortunately, the consequences of prolonged uncertainty are no longer theoretical. CMP has already been forced to defer planned capital work, including projects intended to make power available, strengthen reliability, improve resilience, and modernize the system, and will continue to do so. CMP will now also be forced to evaluate workforce levels and hiring plans that support current operations and future needs.”

As part of this evaluation, the company removed 70 job listings from its website, and it no longer plans to participate in an upcoming job fair hosted by the University of Southern Maine, according to spokesperson Dustin Wlodkowski.

Central Maine Power and other parties to the rate case — including the Office of the Public Advocate, the Maine Department of Energy Resources, CMP Ratepayers Unite and various advocacy groups — have until noon on Monday, Oct. 5, to file responses to the commission staff’s recommendation. The commissioners will likely make a decision at their next deliberative session on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The following stories are from other newsrooms. While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind a paywall, some newsrooms we link to below may. Paywalled stories are followed by a ($). We encourage you to consider supporting local Maine newsrooms.

Waste buried in the woods shows how hard it is to rehab Maine’s abandoned factories | Bangor Daily News

Juniper Ridge wants to treat its contaminated wastewater 20 miles away | Bangor Daily News

Old Town wants a new agreement to keep hosting Juniper Ridge | Bangor Daily News ($)

Maine joins lawsuit over federal deal to redirect offshore wind investments to fossil fuels | Bangor Daily News ($)

A battle brews over Maine’s salmon farms | Inside Climate News

'Trap and truck' — Meet the aquatic Uber helping to restore Maine's Atlantic salmon | Maine Public

Two years after Brunswick PFAs spill, high levels of forever chemicals detected in Harpswell birds | Maine Public

South Portland air monitoring shows elevated toxin levels | Maine Public

Maine posts record-breaking heating oil prices amid Iran War | Maine Public

Collins, King call on Trump to tap into heating oil reserve amid high prices | WGME

CMP’s plan to raise bills by $7 is likely on the rocks. Here’s what to know | Portland Press Herald ($)

Midcoast shellfish harvesters bogged down by deadly algae bloom | Times Record ($)

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The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.

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