Will I Get Cut Off?
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Maine

MEStrong
14
Days notice (electric)
14
Days notice (gas)
✓
Winter moratorium
✓
Medical exemption

What to do today

If you have a shutoff notice, the date on it is the one that matters. These steps work best in this order.

  1. Call your utility before the date on your notice

    Ask for a payment plan or a deferred payment arrangement. Most states require your utility to offer one, and asking before the date is what keeps your service on. The number is on your bill.

  2. Apply for energy assistance

    LIHEAP helps with utility bills and does not have to be paid back. Call the national referral line on 1-866-674-6327 weekdays 9am to 7pm Eastern, or visit energyhelp.us.

  3. Dial 211 for local help

    211 is free and connects you to local funds for utilities, rent and food. Some local agencies can pay a utility directly to stop a shutoff.

  4. Ask about medical certification

    Maine recognises medical protections. If anyone in your home has a serious illness or relies on powered medical equipment, a note from a doctor can delay a shutoff. Ask your utility for the form today, because it usually has to be back within days.

  5. Contact the regulator if your utility will not work with you

    maine.gov handles complaints against regulated utilities in Maine. Filing one can pause a disconnection while it is looked at.

ElectricGasWaterMedicalLow IncomeRegulator

Electric Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required14 days
Reconnection feeVaries by utility
Winter moratorium: November 15–April 15 (Winter Disconnection Period): electric and natural gas utilities cannot disconnect — or even send disconnection notices — to residential customers for non-payment without PUC approval (rarely granted). Customers who contact their utility or the PUC to make reasonable monthly payments will not be disconnected. Strong all-customer protection during the winter period.

Major Utilities

Central Maine Pow…Versant Power

Central Maine Power (CMP)

Central and southern Maine; approximately 346 communities; 11,000 square-mile territory; approximately 670,000 customers

14-day notice
Winter Disconnection Moratorium (November 15 to April 15): utilities may not disconnect without prior approval from the PUC's Consumer Assistance and Safety Division, granted only if the customer rejects a payment arrangement
During winter, utilities must offer Special Payment Arrangements with reduced payments to customers at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines or enrolled in HEAP or SSI, with no late fees while the arrangement holds
A medical emergency requires the utility to postpone disconnection
Per a 2024 Maine law, low-income customers cannot be charged reconnection fees or late fees, and disconnection is also prohibited during extreme heat, cold, or other extreme weather events
Governed by Maine PUC Chapter 815
Utilities must give residential customers at least 14 calendar days' written notice before disconnection for nonpayment, and cannot issue that notice until at least 30 days after the original bill
Disconnection is prohibited on Fridays, weekends, legal holidays, the day before a legal holiday, or when the utility office is closed, and can only happen between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m
CMP's own reconnection charge could not be confirmed: cmpco.com returns HTTP 403 to this tool for every terms-and-conditions and FAQ page tried, and a web search surfaced two conflicting figures ($100 standard, or $12/$35 by meter type) from secondary summaries rather than a document this pass could read directly, so reconnection_fee is left null rather than picking one
Assistance Programs

Electricity Lifeline Program (ELP/LIAP): up to $1,200 annual bill credit for LIHEAP-eligible customers; Arrearage Management Program (AMP): up to $300/month arrearage forgiveness (minimum $500 balance, 90+ days old) for LIHEAP-eligible customers; Oxygen Pump/Ventilator Assistance Program: additional credits for customers using oxygen pump or ventilator 8+ hours/day; LIHEAP via local Community Action Agencies

"65-407 C.M.R. ch. 815, §10 DISCONNECTIONS (Maine Chapter 815, effective August 29, 2024); CMP customer information." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Versant Power

Northern and eastern Maine; Bangor Hydro District and Maine Public District (Aroostook and Washington counties); approximately 160,000 customers across 10,400 square miles

14-day notice
Winter Disconnection Moratorium (November 15–April 15): CASD approval required
Medical emergency postponement right. $150 minimum threshold or 90+ days overdue
Governed by Maine PUC Chapter 815
Same statewide rules as CMP: 14 calendar days residential notice
no disconnection on Fridays/weekends/holidays/day before holiday
8 a.m.–3 p.m. timing restriction
Special Payment Arrangements required for customers at or below 150% federal poverty guidelines or enrolled in HEAP/SSI
Low-income customers exempt from reconnection fees and late fees per 2024 Maine law
2024 extreme weather ban applies
After-hours same-day reconnection requests accepted until 3:30 p.m
Reconnection fee:$18.00 during normal business hours; $61.00 for after-hours same-day reconnection; no reconnection fee for low-income customers per 2024 Maine law
Assistance Programs

Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP): annual bill reductions for LIHEAP-qualifying customers; Arrearage Management Program (AMP): up to 100% forgiveness of overdue balances for LIHEAP-eligible customers; LifeLight Program: for customers with life-sustaining medical equipment needs; Budget Billing Program

"Versant Power Terms and Conditions of Service (effective July 1, 2025)." versantpower.com. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Gas Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required14 days
Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Major Utilities

Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil

Greater Portland, Lewiston/Auburn, Biddeford/Saco, and surrounding southern/central Maine communities; as of January 31, 2025, also includes former Bangor Natural Gas territory (Greater Bangor, ~8,500 customers); over 35,000 legacy Northern Utilities customers; acquisition of Maine Natural Gas Company (Augusta, Brunswick, Bath, ~6,250 customers) expected to close by end of 2025

14-day notice
Winter Disconnection Moratorium (November 15 to April 15): PUC Consumer Assistance and Safety Division approval required before disconnecting
A medical emergency gives a right to postponement
Governed by Maine PUC Chapter 815, which covers both electric and gas utilities
Utilities must give residential customers at least 14 calendar days' written notice before disconnection for nonpayment
non-residential customers get 7 calendar days
No disconnection on Fridays, weekends, holidays, or the day before a holiday, and only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m
Special Payment Arrangements available for customers at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines or enrolled in HEAP or SSI, with no late fees while the arrangement holds
Low-income customers are exempt from reconnection fees and late fees under a 2024 Maine law
Bangor Natural Gas customers transitioned to Unitil January 31, 2025
No reachable Unitil or Maine PUC page states a standard reconnection fee amount, so reconnection_fee stays null
Reconnection fee:Not confirmed from publicly accessible sources; set by tariff filed with Maine PUC; low-income customers exempt per 2024 Maine law
Assistance Programs

LIHEAP/HEAP: 30% discount on both delivery and supply distribution rates for 12 consecutive months for eligible residential customers; Emergency Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP): assistance for customers facing imminent disconnection; LIHEAP coordination via Community Action Agencies

"65-407 C.M.R. ch. 815, Section 10 - Disconnections (Consumer Protection Standards for Electric and Gas Transmission and Distribution Utilities)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Water Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice requiredNot regulated / varies

Major Utilities

Maine Water CoPortland Water De…

Maine Water Company

More than 32,000 customers across 21 Maine communities statewide including Biddeford, Millinocket, Freeport, and others; investor-owned subsidiary of H2O America (Nasdaq: HTO); includes territory formerly served by Aqua Maine (acquired 2012)

14-day notice
Medical emergency: right to postpone up to 30 days
No winter moratorium equivalent to Chapter 815 for water utilities
Governed by Maine PUC Chapter 660
14 calendar days written notice required before disconnection for residential nonpayment
No disconnection notice until at least 30 days after original bill
Disconnection prohibited on Fridays, weekends, legal holidays, day before legal holiday, or when office is closed
Disconnection only between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m
Minimum threshold: overdue amounts exceeding $50 (or any amount over 90 days old)
Reconnection within same business day or no later than 5 p.m. the following business day
No shutoff solely for nonpayment of sewer charges
Reconnection fee:Varies by community tariff division; specific amounts not confirmed from public tariff documents
Assistance Programs

Water Residential Affordability Program (WRAP): 22% reduction on water bills for income-eligible customers; Maine Housing Water Assistance Program; payment arrangements (contact 1-800-287-1643)

"65-407 C.M.R. ch. 660, §10 DISCONNECTIONS (Maine Chapter 660)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Portland Water District

11 Greater Portland communities including Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gorham, Standish, Scarborough; approximately 57,000 customers; Maine's largest public water utility

14-day notice
A medical emergency gives a postponement right of up to 30 days
No winter moratorium for water
Quasi-municipal public water district, regulated by the Maine PUC under Chapter 660, which mirrors Chapter 815's electric and gas rules for water utilities
At least 14 calendar days' written notice is required before a residential nonpayment disconnection (7 days for non-residential customers)
No disconnection on Fridays, weekends, holidays, or the day before a holiday, and only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m
Portland Water District's own account-terms page confirms the general right to notice before disconnection and reconnection by 5 p.m. the following business day, and says PWD makes a good-faith effort to call the customer at least 7 business days before disconnection, but does not itself restate the 14-day figure
No shutoff solely for nonpayment of sewer charges
No reconnection fee for business-hours reconnection when payment is made in full through an approved channel
the after-hours fee amount remains unconfirmed
Reconnection fee:No fee for business-hours reconnection when payment made in full (in-person, online verified by staff, or automated telephone payment); after-hours reconnection fee amount not confirmed
Assistance Programs

Customer Assistance/Lifeline Rates: discounted rates for income-eligible customers based on HEAP guidelines, administered by The Opportunity Alliance (207-553-5900 or 877-429-6884); Utility Safety Net Program: last-resort assistance to prevent shutoff for customers with sudden significant income change

"65-407 C.M.R. ch. 660, Section 10 - Disconnections (water utilities)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Medical & Vulnerable Household Exemptions

Utilities must postpone disconnection when occupants' health or safety would be endangered. Medical certificate from a doctor extends protections beyond the winter period.

Low-Income Protections

LIHEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) available through Maine DHHS. Maine's winter disconnection protection applies to all residential customers regardless of income, making it one of the broadest protections.

Your State Regulator

File a complaint or get help from Maine's utility regulator →

Data last verified: 2026-09-21. Rules may change — verify with your state regulator.