Maine Public Utilities Commission

07/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/20/2026 07:32

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC WITNESS HEARINGS IN NORTHERN UTILITIES INC, dba UNITIL INC'S DISTRIBUTION RATE CASE

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC WITNESS HEARINGS IN NORTHERN UTILITIES INC, dba UNITIL INC'S DISTRIBUTION RATE CASE

July 20, 2026

Hallowell, Maine-The Maine Public Utilities Commission (Commission) will hold two public witness hearings on Unitil's request for approval of a distribution rate change.

The first hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 21 at 5:00 p.m. Portland City Hall, 389 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101 (Ground floor near Myrtle St. entrance)

The second hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 28 at 5:00 p.m. Lewiston Public Library, Callahan Room, 200 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME 04240

Both sessions will offer in-person and remote participation options.

On June 1, 2026, pursuant to 35-A M.R.S. 307 and Chapter 120 of the Commissions rules, Northern Utilities Inc. d/b/a Unitil Inc. filed a request for approval of a distribution rate change for its Maine Division.

Should the proposed increase be approved, it would amount to about an $11 increase for the average residential heating customer and about a $7.50 increase for the average residential non-heating customer.

Members of the public who are not a party to this case may present sworn testimony or comments to the Commission on the issues in this proceeding, either in person or via remote participation. A sign language interpreter will be available at both sessions.

Anyone wishing to participate remotely should email [email protected] no later than 4:00 PM on Monday, July 20 for the first session, and no later than 4:00 PM on Monday, July 27 for the second session.

No decisions have been made in this case. The Commission will evaluate all evidence in the case, including testimony from members of the public.

All public documents in the case are available on the Commissions Online Case Management System. Please reference Case #2026-00049. Public comments may also be filed in the Commissions Case Management System.

About the Commission

The Maine Public Utilities Commission regulates electric, telephone, water and gas utilities to ensure that Maine citizens have access to safe and reliable utility service at rates that are just and reasonable for all ratepayers while minimizing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Commission programs include Maine Enhanced 911 Service and gas safety programs. Philip L. Bartlett, II serves as Chair, Patrick Scully and Carolyn Gilbert serve as Commissioners.

Learn more about the Commission at www.maine.gov/mpuc

CONTACT: Susan Faloon, Media Liaison CELL: 207-557-3704 EMAIL: [email protected]

Maine Public Utilities Commission published this content on July 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 20, 2026 at 13:32 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]