Alexander C. MacPhail is executive director of the Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Stable prices and dependable service help people plan their lives, allow businesses to operate with confidence and give communities a sense of security. But today, families, towns and local businesses are facing rising costs and more frequent severe weather. That makes it even more important for the electric grid, a system we all rely on every day, to strike the right balance between keeping electricity affordable and ensuring the power stays on. 

Reliable electricity is essential to homes, schools, hospitals and local businesses. It keeps the heat on in winter, the lights on when a student is studying late for an exam, phones charged so families can stay connected and essential services running day and night.

For communities to thrive, the cost of electric service must be steady, predictable and planned with the future in mind. Yet in recent years, extreme storms and rising supply costs have shown just how quickly prices can swing, leaving residents and businesses struggling to manage volatile electricity bills.

Maine should be looking at practical ways to soften or eliminate these sudden price shocks. At the same time, keeping costs stable cannot come at the expense of maintaining Maine’s aging electric grid. Striking the right balance between affordability and reliable service is essential to keeping our communities strong.

Much of this energy infrastructure was built decades ago. Our state now has more than 1.4 million residents. The influx of newcomers moving here likely don’t know or remember much of the history of our power system and how it was originally built for a smaller population and to support large power plants and paper mills, not heat pumps, solar panels and EVs. Today, these same poles, wires and substations have to handle stronger storms, increasing demand and ever-changing technologies.

So, when the question is asked whether or not continuous investment is needed, the short answer is: yes. But at the same time, we must also focus our attention on how and when those investments will be made. 

Putting off upgrades may seem cheaper in the short term, but it creates bigger problems later. Old equipment breaks down more often. Outages last longer. Repairs become more expensive. It also makes the energy system harder to maintain and less safe, especially during adverse extreme weather and emergencies. And in the long run, this all costs ratepayers more.

The consequences of delaying investment are already clear in other essential services. Portland Press Herald reporting shows how years of deferred maintenance in rural water systems led to steep, sudden rate hikes, with some communities seeing increases as high as 75% just to fix failing infrastructure. Water utilities had no choice but to raise rates after reservoir covers tore, pumps failed and decades-old systems reached a breaking point, costly problems that could have been avoided with steady, proactive investment. 

When critical systems aren’t maintained over time, the eventual repairs cost more and customers end up footing the bill. Maine’s electric grid is no different. Investing consistently in modern, resilient infrastructure is the best way to keep electricity both affordable and reliable, avoiding the kind of sudden, painful price spikes seen in these water districts.

We cannot forget, however, that many Maine households are already under financial pressure from other bills stemming from groceries to rent to health care. But delaying needed grid work does not truly save us money. Over time, it leads to higher costs, more disruptions and fewer options. Every community depends on reliable electric service. And every electric system needs regular maintenance and upgrades to stay safe and dependable, and to keep pace with inflation.  

Maine needs timely decisions and a clear electricity rate plan that allow necessary work to move forward without long delays, while also keeping costs stable for Mainers. Predictable planning keeps costs steadier, improves reliability and helps ensure the electric system is safe, dependable and ready for the future.