Working to make Maine’s electricity system more affordable and reliable

I am honored to represent House District 146, which includes the western half of York, and an eastern part of Wells and Ogunquit. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Technology (EUT), as I was in the last session.

Our work is quite different from that of other committees. Rather than addressing social issues or matters tied to the state budget and taxes, we focus on policies that directly affect what you pay for electricity, the quality of your service, and Maine’s ability to meet its affordability, reliability, and climate goals. The outcomes of our work don’t always appear right away—but they shape the long-term direction of our energy system.

Since joining the committee in 2023, I’ve prioritized improving the efficiency of our electricity system, modernizing how we plan for the grid of the future, and better organizing the state agencies responsible for developing and implementing energy policy.

To that end, I sponsored several bills this session aimed at strengthening the long-term performance and accountability of Maine’s electricity system. One of the most significant was a bill to establish a cabinet-level Department of Energy Resources. Today, multiple state agencies are involved in energy policy. Creating a single department with clear authority will improve program alignment, reduce redundancy, and allow the state to focus more effectively on long-term planning and affordability.

A second major bill I introduced would modernize how Maine’s utilities and regulators plan for future electricity needs. As more solar panels, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and battery storage systems connect to the grid, our planning processes must evolve to keep pace. My bill calls for better coordination of the activities of state agencies whose actions interact with grid planning, and a stronger focus on integrating new technologies that improve system efficiency and reliability. In my testimony, I emphasized that smarter planning not only improves performance but also helps keep costs down for consumers.

Affordability was also the focus of another bill I introduced to establish time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates. Right now, we pay a flat rate for electricity, even though wholesale electricity prices vary dramatically depending on the time of day. TOU rates would give customers the option to shift usage to off-peak hours—like running the dishwasher at night—when electricity is cheaper. This encourages more efficient use of the grid and can help reduce costs for everyone. Over the next year or two, the Public Utilities Commission will design a TOU program to be offered to customers.

I also supported efforts to expand performance-based ratemaking—an approach that links utility profits to outcomes that matter to ratepayers, such as affordability, reliability, and customer service. This contrasts with the traditional model that simply rewards investments in infrastructure. Aligning utility incentives with public interest goals is a critical step in modern utility regulation, and the Commission has begun proceedings to broaden Maine’s existing program.

Finally, I worked all session on legislation to reform Maine’s net energy billing (NEB) program, which encouraged and supported much of our solar development over the past few years. The solar program has been very successful, but it has become costly. We developed revisions to the program that will rein in the program’s long-term costs while continuing progress on our solar program and achieving our renewable energy goals. The new law will not please everyone, but it provides a more sustainable path forward.

All these issues can be technical and hard to track, but they affect your monthly electric bill and the future of our state. Our committee often works quietly behind the scenes, but the stakes are high. Getting energy policy right is essential in a state with high energy costs, an aging grid, and ambitious climate targets.

I’ll continue working to make Maine’s electricity system more affordable and reliable, while also achieving our climate goals. As always, I welcome questions and input from constituents.

Rep. Gerry Runte serves House District 146, which includes parts of York, Ogunquit, and Wells. He serves on the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. He lives in York with his wife, Michelle, and has four adult children.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Rep. Runte: Working to make Maine’s electricity affordable, reliable