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OPA Seeks Stay in TOU Investigation to Facilitate Settlement Discussions
On May 13, 2026 the Office of the Maine Public Advocate (OPA) filed a Motion to Stay the investigation of Time of Use rates for delivery and Standard Offer Service utilities to facilitate settlement discussions.
As previously reported the Maine Public Utilities Commission has initiated a proceeding to evaluate whether to adopt, on an opt-in or opt-out basis, time of use rates for electricity standard offer service.
The OPA in its filing stated that it represents that the Maine Department of Energy Resources, Efficiency Maine Trust, Conservation Law Foundation, Acadia Center, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine have assented to the motion and further indicates that AARP Maine would also plan to participate in the discussions.
OPA in its motion state that “[s]ince the case conference, the OPA has discussed the concept of an alternative path with the parties to the proceeding. With the granting of a stay, the above identified assenting parties agree to meet and discuss an alternative path forward and report back to the PUC on progress. The parties are not seeking to close the docket, but rather to explore if there could be a more fruitful path forward. The OPA suggests that the Commission stay the proceeding and set June 26 as the deadline for OPA to file the report back.”
In response to OPA’s motion Staff of the Maine PUC issued a procedural order stating that parties not listed above are requested to provide their responses to the Motion by May 22, 2026.
Versant also filed a letter in support – see excerpt below:
Versant Letter in Support of OPA Motion to Stay – “Versant Power (“Versant”) submits this letter in support of the motion filed by the Office Public Advocate (the “OPA”) in Docket No. 2025-00176 this morning requesting a temporary stay to pursue settlement discussions. The OPA motion to stay is made jointly by the OPA, the Efficiency Maine Trust, the Maine Department of Energy Resources, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Acadia Center, and the Conservation Law Foundation (the “non-utility parties”). 1 Versant writes to express its support for this non-utility party motion.”
Versant is particularly interested in considering ways to implement current and/or revised time-varying rate designs that provide customer expense and system cost reductions and future cost avoidance benefits. Versant also views such refined customer-focused rate options as facilitating Maine’s electrification and greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
