Reducing Past-Due Balances for Eligible Customers
The Arrearage Management Program (AMP) is an assistance program designed to help eligible low-income residential customers who are behind on their electricity bills. Approved applicants will be eligible for forgiveness of up to 100 percent of their past-due amount, up to $6,000, at the time of enrollment. A forgiveness credit will be applied to the past-due amount monthly each time a customer makes their monthly payment in full by the scheduled due date. The forgiveness credit will be equal to one-twelfth of the total past-due amount at the time of enrollment, subject to a monthly cap of $500.
To qualify, customers must:
- Have applied to be or be a current Versant Power residential electricity customer,
- Be eligible for HEAP or LIAP in the State of Maine,
- Have a past-due balance of $500 or more that is at least 90 days past due, and
- Have not previously participated in, withdrawn from, or failed to comply with the program terms of an AMP in the previous six years.
- The forgiveness credit will stop if the customer fails to pay their monthly bill in full by the scheduled due date. The customer may receive the forgiveness credit if they make up the missed payment plus late fees. If more than two payments are not received in full by the scheduled due date in the 12-month AMP period, then the customer is removed from the AMP Program and is not eligible to participate for six years, even if the missed payments are repaired.
Participants with arrearage amounts that are greater than $6,000, or that otherwise are not fully forgiven after a 12-month period, and who successfully complete a full year of the AMP, may reapply to continue participating in the AMP.
To Apply:
Customers may complete an AMP Application using the online form below. This method will result in the quickest response on eligibility from Versant Power. https://secure.versantpower.com/Services/AMP/ampjq.cfm.
Customers may also complete a fillable pdf version of this form Application for Participation in the State of Maine’s Arrearage Management Program and email it to AMP@versantpower.com or print and mail it to the following address:
Versant Power
Attention Assistance
PO Box 932
Bangor, ME 04402
Customers may also choose to work with their local Community Action Agency (CAA) to complete the online or paper form. See below for a list of local CAAs in our service territory.
A paper version of the application also can be requested to be mailed to customers by calling Versant Power's Customer Contact Center at (207) 973-2000 or 1-855-363-7211.
Maine law requires investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities to offer an arrearage management program to their customers. The utility does not pay costs described in 35-A M.R.S. § 3214(2-A)(E).