EMEC Members Still Pay Less For Electricity Than Most Maine Residents

Members of Eastern Maine Electric Co-op still pay less for electricity supply and delivery than most Maine residents, even after the Standard Offer supply price increase that took effect on November 1, 2025. The supply price change came at the end of a five-year period in which EMEC Members paid below-market pricing, thanks to a long-term contract signed in 2020.

The graph of Residential Rates of Maine Utilities shows that the rural-inclusive competitor nearest in pricing to EMEC's low cost is Central Maine Power. As of February 2026, residents in CMP's delivery territory pay just under seven cents more per kilowatt-hour for supply and delivery charges than EMEC members. For the average residential EMEC member, who uses 625 kwhs/month, the average electric bill would cost $43.55/month more if they were served by Central Maine Power, a total of $522.70 per year. 

Houlton Water Company is the only utility shown with lower rates than EMEC, and those rates arise from the special nature of HWC's delivery territory. HWC is a municipal utility serving a more densely populated territory with much lower right-of-way maintenance costs. HWC also has a much higher number of large commercial and industrial accounts to help subsidize residential rates.