BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 16, 2024
Since May, Maine’s utilities have incurred over $95 million in net energy billing costs as solar projects came online after the 2019 law creating the program took effect. The Maine PUC has also approved another $28.4 million increase of solar subsidy recovery, which many businesses are calling a “job-killing solar tax.” Solar subsidy cost increases range from 200 to 1,644 percent for some businesses. According to Maine’s public advocate the program will cost Maine ratepayers $220 million per year for the next 20 years. Legislative Republicans have been sounding the alarm about this for years. Our concern has never been about solar energy itself – diversifying our energy portfolio is a smart strategy done the correct way. Rather, our current solar energy policy has disproportionately harmed small businesses and led to higher costs for consumers. Now it threatens workers as companies must absorb these costs, cut back in other areas or close entirely. ~ Sen. Stacey Guerin