Bangor Hydro asks feds to postpone new fee

BANGOR – Filing a request for a stay of the new, higher electric rates proposed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. has asked the congressional delegation to help the state plead its case.

Trying to encourage new power plant construction, FERC on Dec. 15 ordered an increase from 17 cents to $8.75 per kilowatt, retroactive to August, in the federal fee collected. The higher fees were based on customers’ peak demands.

“For consumers and businesses in the Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. service area, the impact of the retroactive feature of the order would amount to about $7 million that would have to be collected in some fashion by the Maine Public Utilities Commission,” Briggs wrote.

The money collected by the federal government would go to utilities to help in the construction of new generating plants.