The Maine Public Utilities Commission has admonished businesses — especially medium-sized business customers on a standard service offer — to prepare for the steepest hikes in electric rates since 2008. According to the PUC, the price of the electricity supply for a medium-sized commercial and industrial customer under the standard offer rate in CMP’s territory will rise from $0.06/kWh in October 2014 to $0.15/kWh in January 2015, raising a typical customer’s monthly bill by $1,130 compared to the same customer’s current bill. (The electricity supply portion of their bill would increase from $870 per month now to over $2,000 per month in January.)

Higher winter electric rates are plaguing parts of New England, including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, primarily due to the high cost of natural gas delivered to the region during winter months.