I am very concerned about the rising cost of electricity in Maine. Thankfully, the Maine Legislature is taking action to reduce electricity costs for our homes and businesses by supporting solar legislation in Augusta. The legislation will save Mainers millions of dollars on their electric bills by avoiding an expensive new Public Utilities Commission rule being pushed by monopoly utilities.

Last week, the Legislature adopted L.D. 1504, a solar energy bill with a bipartisan supermajority, enough to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage. If the Legislature fails to override the governor’s veto, the PUC’s “net metering rule” will take effect. Under that rule people in Maine will be saddled with millions of dollars in unnecessary costs to buy unneeded metering equipment. We cannot afford to let that happen.

Solar energy reduces electricity costs for all Mainers by reducing the need to build expensive transmission lines and run the most expensive power plants. In Maine, electricity transmission costs have increased 80 percent in just the last 10 years as utilities like Central Maine Power propose more and more construction — and they get a guaranteed rate of return when they spend our money in the process.

Solar produces electricity at the site where it is used, reducing the need for more transmission lines.

I was happy to see that my state representative, Dick Bradstreet, and Sen. Roger Katz vote in support of the solar bill. I urge them to stick to it on the veto override vote in the coming days to reduce electricity costs.

Holly Weidner

Vassalboro

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