All Maine Utilities To Contribute To Low-Income Fund -PUC

Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

NEW  YORK (Dow Jones)--The Maine Public Utility Commission has approved a plan requiring the state's utilities to contribute money to a fund designed to offset electric bills for low-income customers in the state.

The utilities' contributions will be based on the number of residential  customers living in each company's service territory, the regulators said in a  release. The commission will redistribute the funds to the utilities based on  the number of low-income residents they serve.

The fund, which will total approximately $5.7 million, should assist more than 42,000 eligible customers, the PUC said.

Central Maine Power (EAS), Bangor Hydro (BGR) and Maine Public Service (MAP), the state's three investor-owned utilities, currently have plans to  assist low-income customers. This plan, which the commission approved July 31, will call on consumer-owned utilities to participate.