Maine Rolls Out Automatic Electric Bill Discounts of up to 80 Percent for Low-Income Households
Maine Governor Janet Mills announced on October 1 the launch of SupportLink, under which the state Department of Health and Human Services will use existing SNAP, TANF and MaineCare records to automatically identify eligible households, so low-income customers of Central Maine Power (CMP) and Versant Power receive Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP) electric bill discounts without filing a separate application. The program totals $40.5 million, up from $22.5 million in 2025 and including $7.5 million added in a supplemental budget. The discounts are substantial — 25 to 81 percent off monthly bills for CMP customers and 17 to 83 percent for Versant customers — and are expected to begin appearing on November bills. Eligibility covers households earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level or qualifying for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP); about 44,000 people took part in LIAP last year, while the state has identified roughly 67,000 eligible households it hopes automatic enrollment will now reach. The effort also extends to nine electric utilities, Efficiency Maine and the Portland Water District. Chinese-American families in Maine who already receive these benefits should check their November electric bills for the new discount.
(Source: Office of the Governor of Maine)
Source: Office of the Governor of Maine
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Openverse · Tony Fischer Photography（CC BY）
