PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 20, 2026
Gordon Weil’s argument for public power (“How to cut electric rates in Maine — without public power,” April 2) ignores a hard reality: Maine’s high electric rates aren’t driven by utility profits. They are driven by more than 40 years of legislative micromanagement and mismanagement. Our situation is 100% self-induced. The state is fully responsible for 18 of the 30 cents/kwh we pay, and the heavy increases that Mainers have seen over the past 40 years. Electricity supply, the public policy charge, the Efficiency Maine assessment, Maine’s renewable portfolio standard, the RGGI tax, the impacts of deregulation, hydro dam removal and many more make up that 18 cents. Start with electing politicians who actually care about reliability and affordability, and ones who have enough humility to let the experts build and implement the plan to achieve it. ~ Gerry Chasse, former president of Bangor Hydro/Emera Maine