It Looks Like Our Versant Bill May Go Up Again Soon. So, How Much?

It feels like we just had a rate hike.

Ten years could go by in between, and it would probably still feel like it just happened. But in 2022, it was proposed that Mainers would see a 20+% hike in the standard offer in the new year. Sure, it can cause quite the kerfuffle among customers, who already felt like their rates a bunch of times already. But with crazy prices for resources in global markets, it's not unexpected. These are the times we live in.

As we're headed into summer, Versant is proposing another rate hike. And if it all goes through, you'll see a small increase come July 1st. In general, it's a small hike that most people won't feel too badly. It's never fun, but it's definitely affordable.

So how much will this hike set customers back?

Overall, Versant is trying to raise another $15 million dollars, so spread out across their customer base, this could mean an increase of about $5 per customer. There are also some discussions for a similar increase to happen at the beginning of 2024, according to WABI.

All of this still has to pass muster with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. But it all seems quite likely to go through. No matter what, rates are likely to keep going up over time. It'd be nice to see it go down once in a while, but I think we know how that goes. With a weird economy and ongoing supply chain issues, not to mention inflation... We'll all feel the pinch.

I'll never be able to afford to stay here, but it's fun to look.