Versant Power Rate Selection Guide
Versant Power (formerly Emera Maine / Bangor Hydro) is an Avangrid-owned, ENMAX-affiliated investor-owned electric T&D utility serving roughly 165,000 customers across northern and eastern Maine. In Maine's deregulated retail market, Versant delivers power and bills customers while energy supply comes from the Standard Offer or a licensed Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP).
Versant Power Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (small commercial) | commercial | Versant delivery + supply (Standard Offer or CEP) | Small offices, retail, light commercial |
| Medium General Service | commercial | Delivery demand/energy + supply (12.80 ¢/kWh SO, Jan 2026 BHD) | Demand-metered medium commercial buildings |
| Rate T-1 (Large / Transmission) | industrial | Transmission delivery + indexed-monthly large-commercial SO supply | Large industrial / 500 kW+ subtransmission sites |
| Standard Offer supply | commercial | Medium: 12.80 ¢/kWh (Jan 2026, BHD); Large: monthly-indexed | Customers comparing supply against CEP offers |
Market Overview
Versant is the regulated T&D utility; energy supply is competitive. Customers take the Standard Offer (PUC-overseen, competitively bid) by default or choose a licensed Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP). Delivery rates are PUC-regulated; supply prices are market-based. The Standard Offer for medium commercial in the Bangor Hydro District rose to 12.80 cents/kWh in January 2026 (a 23.2% increase from 10.39 cents in 2025); large commercial is indexed monthly to wholesale prices.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Versant Power Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
A Versant C&I bill has two parts: PUC-regulated Versant delivery (by district and rate class) plus energy supply (Standard Offer or CEP). Verified supply data point: the Bangor Hydro District medium-commercial Standard Offer is 12.80 cents/kWh effective January 2026 (up 23.2% from 10.39 cents in 2025); large-commercial Standard Offer is indexed monthly to wholesale prices. Delivery schedules include General Service (small commercial), Medium General Service, and Rate T-1 (large/transmission, 500 kW+ at subtransmission voltage). Specific delivery demand/energy charges should be confirmed in the January 2026 Versant tariff PDFs.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (small commercial) | commercial | Small non-residential accounts in BHD/MPD. | Versant delivery (customer + energy/demand charges) plus supply (Standard Offer or CEP). Confirm delivery cents/kWh in district tariff. | — |
| Medium General Service | commercial | Demand-metered medium commercial accounts. | Versant delivery with demand ($/kW) and energy ($/kWh) charges, plus supply. Medium-commercial Standard Offer supply = 12.80 cents/kWh (Jan 2026, BHD). | — |
| Rate T-1 (Large / Transmission) | industrial | Commercial/industrial customers with 500 kW+ demand taking service at no less than subtransmission voltage (Bangor Hydro District). | Transmission-level delivery (demand + energy) plus supply; large-commercial Standard Offer supply indexed monthly to wholesale. See Rate T-1 tariff sheet. | — |
| Standby Service (SB-L3, Large) | industrial | Large customers with on-site generation needing backup/standby delivery (BHD). | Standby demand and energy delivery charges per the SB-L3 tariff. | — |
| Standard Offer supply (commercial) | commercial | Default energy supply for customers not on a CEP. | Medium commercial fixed monthly (12.80 cents/kWh Jan 2026 BHD, +23.2% YoY); large commercial indexed monthly to wholesale prices. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Demand-metered commercial building (Medium General Service)
Shop competitive supply and actively manage delivery demand charges.
With the medium-commercial Standard Offer up 23.2% in Jan 2026, locking a CEP rate and trimming peak kW are the highest-impact moves.
- Compare CEP offers against the 12.80 ¢/kWh Standard Offer
- Export hourly Green Button data to find peak windows
- Stage equipment to reduce coincident peak demand
Large industrial / 500 kW+ subtransmission site (Rate T-1)
Optimize transmission-level delivery and hedge the monthly-indexed large-commercial supply.
Large-commercial Standard Offer is indexed monthly and volatile; a CEP contract can fix supply, while demand management and standby service optimize delivery.
- Negotiate a fixed CEP supply contract to avoid monthly index swings
- Confirm Rate T-1 demand charges in the Jan 2026 tariff PDF
- If self-generating, evaluate SB-L3 standby economics
Multi-site commercial portfolio benchmarking
Centralize usage data and benchmark across sites with Energy Manager + ENERGY STAR.
Automated daily feeds to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (Virtual Whole Building) surface the worst-performing sites for targeted action.
- Enroll commercial accounts in the Energy Manager portal
- Set up Virtual Whole Building aggregation in ESPM
- Prioritize CEP shopping for the highest-usage sites
Sustainability / solar-focused C&I customer
Use Net Energy Billing and renewable supply to cut Scope 2 emissions and supply cost.
Maine NEB credits on-site/community solar against the bill while a green CEP or Maine Green Power covers remaining supply.
- Review the NEB developer FAQs for integration
- Combine NEB with a renewable CEP contract
- Track generation/usage via Green Button for reporting
Historical Rate Trends
Maine Standard Offer supply rates are reset annually (medium commercial) or monthly (large commercial) through PUC-overseen competitive procurement. The January 2026 medium-commercial Standard Offer in the Bangor Hydro District rose to 12.80 cents/kWh from 10.39 cents in 2025. Versant delivery rates are adjusted via PUC rate cases and annual stranded-cost/RAM filings.
January 1, 2026
Bangor Hydro District medium-commercial Standard Offer supply rose to 12.80 cents/kWh from 10.39 cents/kWh.
+23.2%Overall trend: Rising supply costs; medium-commercial Standard Offer up ~23% year over year into 2026.
Next expected change: Next medium-commercial Standard Offer reset January 2027; large-commercial supply repriced monthly.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because supply is the volatile, shoppable component, the biggest levers for Versant C&I customers are competitive supply procurement and (for demand-metered/T-1 accounts) delivery demand-charge management.
Competitive supply (CEP) procurement
For: All C&I accounts
Shop licensed CEPs to fix or beat the Standard Offer, which jumped 23.2% for medium commercial in January 2026.
Demand-charge management
For: Demand-metered and T-1 accounts
Reduce peak kW on Medium General Service and Rate T-1 via load staging, controls, and storage.
Net Energy Billing (solar)
For: Sites with solar or community-solar access
Offset supply with on-site or shared solar via Maine NEB kWh or dollar credits.
Benchmarking via Energy Manager / ENERGY STAR
For: Commercial multi-site portfolios
Use the Avangrid Energy Manager portal and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to find inefficiencies across a portfolio.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Versant Power interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Maine C&I customers can buy energy supply from a licensed Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP) or default to the Standard Offer. Versant always provides delivery and billing regardless of supply choice. The Maine PUC publishes CEP and Standard Offer information.
How to Compare Versant Power Suppliers
- 01Default supply is the Standard Offer (set via PUC competitive bid)
- 02Compare licensed CEP offers via the Maine PUC supplier-info page
- 03Enroll in the Electricity Supplier Marketplace (ESM) in My Account to receive offers
- 04Switch suppliers via EDI enrollment; Versant continues delivery and billing
Contract Terms for Versant Power Supply Agreements
- Standard Offer: medium commercial fixed monthly (e.g., 12.80 cents/kWh Jan 2026 BHD); large commercial indexed monthly to wholesale
- CEP contracts vary — fixed or variable terms, watch for teaser/rollover rates
- No exit fee to return to Standard Offer
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Versant Power Rates
- Standard Offer medium-commercial supply jumped 23.2% in January 2026 — reprice CEP options against it
- Large commercial Standard Offer is indexed monthly and can be volatile
- Read CEP contract end dates and rollover/variable terms carefully
- Supply is separate from Versant delivery; compare the supply (cents/kWh) component only
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a Versant C&I bill structured?▾
It has two parts: PUC-regulated Versant delivery charges (by rate class and district — e.g., Medium General Service or Rate T-1) and a separately priced energy supply charge, which is either the Standard Offer or a Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP) you choose. Versant always handles delivery, metering, and billing.
What is the current commercial supply rate?▾
For the Bangor Hydro District, the medium-commercial Standard Offer is 12.80 cents/kWh effective January 2026 — up 23.2% from 10.39 cents in 2025. Large-commercial supply is indexed monthly to wholesale prices. Shopping a CEP can fix or lower the supply component; delivery charges are set separately by the Maine PUC.
Can we get programmatic/API access to usage data?▾
Not via a fully automated public API. Versant supports manual Green Button (ESPI XML) exports from My Account, automated daily feeds to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager through the Avangrid Energy Manager portal (commercial), and EDI for licensed CEPs. Versant has stated it is not resourced for bulk automated exports; full Connect My Data may require a PUC directive.
What rate schedule applies to a large facility?▾
Commercial/industrial customers with 500 kW or more of demand taking service at no less than subtransmission voltage in the Bangor Hydro District fall under Rate T-1. Smaller demand-metered accounts use Medium General Service, and the smallest use General Service. Confirm demand and energy charges in the January 2026 tariff PDFs.
How does a third party access our data?▾
Add them as an authorized user in My Account (12-month history), or, for suppliers, opt into the Electricity Supplier Marketplace so licensed CEPs can view enrolled-customer usage via the Supplier Marketplace Portal. For benchmarking consultants, enroll the account in the Energy Manager portal and grant ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager access.
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