Opinion: Where Mainers’ light bills really go

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 7, 2026

A huge chunk of the average Mainer’s electric bill isn’t going into CMP’s wallet, it is actually flowing directly into layers of government and regulated spending. A typical Maine electric bill sees roughly 45% going to supply and the generation of electricity and about 10% going to taxes and PUC-mandated programs. That leaves less than half to support grid maintenance and operations. That last slice is what maintains 26,000 miles of infrastructure. Much of the frustration is aimed at the wrong target. A utility company often acts more like a pass-through, collecting and allocating costs that are largely driven by policy decisions, taxes and mandated programs. ~ Jon Amirault, tax collector and Emergency Management Agency director, Somerville