The Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved a significant expansion to the state's low income assistance program (LIAP) for electric customers.
Changes include permanently increasing eligibility to people whose incomes are 150% of the federal poverty level, increasing funding to $33 million a year, and changing the benefit from a lump-sum payment a few times a year to offset electric bills to a monthly discounted rate for eligible Central Maine Power and Versant Power customers. Customers will also not be limited in the amount of electricity they use, known as a usage cap.
"I think this is a very significant step forward in making this program work more efficiently, and expanding it, making it available to more low income customers," Commissioner Patrick Scully said at a commission meeting Tuesday.
The revisions also coincide with planned changes at Maine Department of Health and Human Services that would automatically enroll eligible participants to start receiving benefits from the electric program.
The commission estimates that could add 20,000 new customers to benefits, increasing the total to almost 68,000.
"At this point actual levels of program participation are hard to predict, we will be moving to automatic enrollment for customers who have been determined by DHHS to meet income eligibility requirements," said Commission Chair Phil Bartlett.
"Thus, it is quite possible that the cost of the program could exceed the $33 million allocated," Bartlett added.
Funding from the program comes entirely from charges on customers for Maine's investor-owned electric utilities, CMP and Versant. Consumer-owned power companies will maintain their own programs, according to the commission.
The changes come as Mainers deal with increasing electric bills and policymakers move to focus on affordability.
"We thank the Commission for listening to the concerns we have raised about affordability and accessibility," said Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn in a press release.
"The redesigned LIAP will provide critical, stable support to struggling households and will help ensure that no Mainer has to choose between keeping the lights on and meeting other essential needs," Sanborn added.
