After depleting its fund balance over the past few years, Maine Waste to Energy is assessing a $1 million charge on Auburn and other member towns using the facility, with Auburn bearing the bulk of that cost.

The 40-year-old plant, which incinerates waste for Auburn and 11 surrounding towns, has fallen into some disrepair in recent years and maintenance is needed, according to City Manager Phillip Crowell Jr.

The facility processes more than 72,000 tons of waste a year and uses the steam to capture 3.6 megawatts of electric power, according to its website.

The 12 participating member communities — Auburn, Bowdoin, Buckfield, Lovell, Minot, Monmouth, New Gloucester, Poland, Raymond, Sumner, Sweden and Wales — will each pay a share of the $1 million. The amount each town is responsible for is based on how much waste each town has brought to the facility since it opened. Auburn will be responsible for about $620,000.

Maine Waste to Energy has an outstanding debt to the city of $367,507.10, offsetting some of the charge, Crowell said.

The city will use money from its fund balance to cover the cost, he said.

Maine Waste to Energy will also increase member fees from $54 per ton to $88 per ton, a 63% rise. Crowell said the new rate is still lower than fees at similar waste facilities. He said the fee increase is needed to cover ongoing operating costs and maintenance. The tipping fee for nonmember towns using the plant will be higher.

For many years the plant could operate with lower tipping fees, but that rate is no longer enough to cover costs, he said.

Auburn Mayor Jeff Harmon said the Maine Waste to Energy board of directors is trying to better calculate actual costs and expenses so it does not continue to use reserve funds to make up for deficits.

The board is working to capture revenue through a variety of means as it starts to consider the 2027 fiscal year budget so it is not in this position again, he said.

Harmon and Crowell said they do not expect another charge to be assessed to member towns for the 2026 fiscal year that ends in June, but said it is unclear if another charge will come for 2027.