Via the Bangor Daily News:
After lawmakers last year failed to pass legislation to update the state’s rules around solar energy sales, the Maine Public Utilities Commission has adopted rules that are unworkable, will unnecessarily cost ratepayers millions of dollars, and do nothing to encourage needed development of solar energy resources in the state.
Lawmakers again have an opportunity to put Maine on a better course. But, unlike last year, enough of them must vote for what is best for all Mainers and not let themselves be bullied by Gov. Paul LePage.
With starkly different goals in mind, the governor, the public advocate and utility companies have all sought to end net metering in Maine in recent years. This was part of a national effort to end the practice of allowing people who generate solar power at their homes to sell the power they don’t use to the electrical grid. Net metering opponents argue that the setup is unfair to other utility customers because when these small solar power generators sell their power, they aren’t bearing the same fixed costs to maintain the power lines and other infrastructure needed to power the entire grid.
Read the whole editorial at the BDN link above.