Gov. Mills signs Sen. Nicole Grohoski bill to lower costs for veterans’ organizations in Maine
AUGUSTA — On Friday, April 11, Gov. Mills signed a bill from Sen. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, to lower costs for veterans’ organizations in Maine. In March, LD 466, “An Act to Extend the Law Governing Electric Power and Service Residential Rates for Military Veterans’ Organizations,” received a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, which Sen. Grohoski serves on. Both the Maine Senate and House passed the legislation with two-thirds majority vote necessary for the law to take effect immediately.
“In 2021, when the Legislature first launched this program, we were unsure what the financial impact might be on other ratepayers due to the shift in costs, which is why we passed the bill with a sunset date,” said Sen. Grohoski. “Now it is easy to see that the rate impact is negligible. For example, Ellsworth VFW Post 109 estimates its savings have been $800 to $1,000 a year — spread among all ratepayers in the Versant Power-Bangor Hydro District.”
In 2021, then-Rep. Grohoski sponsored LD 1431,“An Act To Require Certain Veterans’ Organizations To Be Billed for Electricity Usage at the Same Rate as Residential Customers,” which was the original law allowing these organizations to switch between commercial and residential electricity rates. However, the program was set to sunset on Sept. 1, 2025. LD 466, which is now current law, extends the sunset date to Oct. 1, 2027, in order to maintain this helpful and low-cost program.
Sen. Grohoski continued, “I believe this minor cost shift is reasonable and in line with our values to recognize the service and sacrifice of our veterans and the phenomenal ongoing work that they do to support one another and our greater communities. The money they could save via this legislation would be well spent on things like helping veterans with home repairs, heating costs and food. “
According to data from CMP and Versant, over the past three and a half years, two out of the likely 157 organizations eligible for the veterans rate contacted their utility and switched to a residential rate.
However, CMP’s May 2024 usage data shows that out of their 84 eligible customers, 40 had the potential to save on a residential rate for electricity delivery for that month. That number doesn’t include the organizations with the potential to save in the Versant territory.
Randy Mosley from Ellsworth VFW Post 109, who testified in support of the bill said, “I appreciate Sen. Grohoski’s commitment to veterans’ organizations and their economic viability. With the $800 to $1,000 we save with the Veterans Residential Rate, we can contribute more to local charities, like Loaves and Fishes and Special Olympics. We’ve done everything we can to increase energy efficiency and insulate our building. But it’s not easy to heat, and every cent makes a difference to us. Last year, we had a veteran living in a rundown trailer and he was going to lose the ability for his child with autism to live with him. We gave the veteran $1,750 to fix up his trailer and keep his kid at home.”
Now that the Gov. has signed the bill into law, Sen. Grohoski will work with the utilities and veterans’ organizations to better publicize the program.
###
