Understanding Your Costs: Alternative Delivery Rate and Community Solar

By default, residential customers of Central Maine Power (CMP) pay the Rate A – Residential Service delivery rate. This rate has been climbing every year since 2015 and is set to increase again on January 1, 2026, by 4% to $0.136474 per kWh.

Rate A - Residential Service 
Source: Central Maine Power

Many Mainers are switching to electric heating, installing heat pumps, and electrifying home appliances. While more efficient than traditional oil and gas, these changes also cause significantly higher electricity bills, particularly for households using heat pumps to warm their homes through long Maine winters.

To combat rising electricity rates, many CMP customers are turning to alternative delivery rates. 

What are alternative delivery rates?

CMP has introduced several popular alternative delivery rate programs which structure per-kilowatt-hour electricity costs differently than Rate A. You can view the full list of delivery rates on the CMP website. These alternative rates give some customers an opportunity to save during periods of low demand and incentivize lower usage during peak demand with On-Peak and Off-Peak pricing.

• ​Time of Use (A-TOU)
  This rate features lower Off-Peak rates (before 5 PM and after 9 PM when fewer people are using electricity) and significantly higher On-Peak rates to encourage shifting usage away from high-demand hours. It's ideal for households that primarily charge electric vehicles or run appliances overnight.
  
  
• Seasonal Residential Service (A-Seasonal Heat Pump)
  This limited-time pilot offered lower winter rates (Nov–Apr) and higher summer rates for heat pump users. The program ends December 31, 2025. Customers on this rate will revert to Rate A unless they choose a new rate beforehand.
  
  
• Residential Electric Technology Rate (A-Electric Technology)
  The successor to the heat pump pilot, this rate incentivizes the adoption of electrified heating, cooling, and vehicles. Customers generally see savings if they use more than ~800 kWh of electricity every month on average.
  
  

How Are These Rates Affected by Community Solar Subscriptions

Many community solar customers in Maine have reported frustrations with not receiving the advertised savings from their community solar subscriptions because they are subscribed to an alternative delivery rate. Some customers have even seen their bills increase.

This happens because the discounts advertised by community solar providers are often tied to the default Rate A and do not account for alternative delivery rates.

How Does MCPC Handle Alternative Delivery Rates?

Our whole bill discount is based on the default Rate A (delivery) and Standard Offer (supply) rates. 

Customers enrolled in alternative delivery rates will likely still save on their electricity costs by subscribing to our community solar program. However, the exact amount you’ll save is dependent on your specific delivery rate and your household’s electricity usage patterns.

You can check out an overview of how our community solar program works with alternative delivery rates below. If you are enrolled in an alternative delivery rate, or plan to enroll in one, reach out to our team by emailing support@mainecommunitypower.com. We can review your electricity usage and help you understand your potential costs and savings.

Time of Use + MCPC Community Solar

For Time of Use Rate payers, the per-kWh cost on your electricity bill depends on the proportion of On-Peak versus Off-Peak electricity usage. The amount of money you’ll save depends on your On-Peak/Off-Peak electricity usage ratio, as well as the total amount of electricity your household uses.

For an average household using 550 kWh of electricity each month (6,600 kWh annually), a 20% discount through our community solar program will translate to savings between 8-28% on your electricity costs.

Estimated Costs for Household Using 550 kWh/Month: Rates Effective 10/1/25

If your household uses no electricity during On-Peak hours (0 kWh), your annual electricity costs may increase marginally (less than 1%) by subscribing to our community solar program. However, if your household uses even 1% of its electricity during On-Peak hours, your costs will decrease.

We can help you estimate your real costs and savings based on your household’s specific usage pattern and ratio of On-Peak/Off-Peak usage. Email us a copy of your latest utility bill at support@mainecommunitypower.com.

Residential Electric Technology + MCPC Community Solar

For Electric Technology Rate payers, your costs and savings with MCPC community solar depend on the total amount of electricity your household uses each month.

No matter what, your electricity costs will not increase by subscribing to our community solar program if you’re enrolled in the Electric Technology rate. However, the discount that you receive may differ depending on your usage.

• If your household uses less than 540 kWh of electricity each month, you may save more money by switching to Residential Rate A and subscribing to our community solar program.
• If your household uses more than 1,000 kWh of electricity each month, you will likely save the most on your electricity costs by remaining enrolled in the Electric Technology Rate and subscribing to our community solar program.

Estimated Costs for Household Paying Electric Technology Rate: Rates Effective 10/1/25

We can help you estimate your real costs and savings based on your household’s electricity usage pattern. Email us a copy of your latest utility bill at support@mainecommunitypower.com.