Overcharged Electricity Maine customers can soon expect refund checks

Electricity Maine customers should keep an eye out for refund checks coming in the mail. 

The Office of the Public Advocate, along with the staff of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Electricity Maine reached a settlement that will provide up to three months of unlawful charges for about 20,000 current and former customers, according to a news release Monday. 

The release didn’t give an exact timeline, but said customers should expect checks “soon.”

“Electricity Maine customers were overcharged by millions of dollars compared with what they would have paid had they simply paid the Standard Offer price for electricity,” said Public Advocate William Harwood.

According to the public advocate, the amount customers will receive depends on how long they were charged a variable rate without their consent and how much they paid above the standard offer rate, which is the cost of supplying electricity set by the PUC. Since 2000, consumers have had the choice to go with a Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP), such as Electricity Maine, and pay the price set by that company. 

A report shared with the Maine Legislature earlier this month showed that about 100,000 Maine households struggle to pay their energy bills, since electricity rates are twice the national average. The report noted that alternative providers like Electricity Maine may be overcharging customers and that low-income households are most susceptible to exaggerated marketing claims about cost savings. 

Refunds will arrive on debit cards, which customers will need to activate. Some customers may receive a second refund, which would be mailed 190 days after the first one, the release said. 

The public advocate’s office released a guide for the refund process with frequently asked questions on its website. Customers can also call 207-624-3687 with questions or concerns.