The Legislature failed to override the governor’s veto of a bill directing state regulators to make rules requiring investor-owned utilities to compensate customers who generate their own electricity and accumulate unused kilowatt-hour credits.
The Bangor Daily News reported the veto-override vote, requiring a two-thirds majority, failed Tuesday in a 85-56 vote. The bill asked the Maine Public Utilities Commission to draft rules for utilities to pay customers the wholesale value of unused kilowatt-hour credits under the state’s net energy billing program.
The bill also called for state regulators and utilities to draft a report identifying reliability deficiencies in the state’s electrical grid.
LePage said in his veto letter than the bill would result in higher rates for residents who don’t generate electricity.
