Maine's energy costs rank among highest in US, study shows
File photo / Courtesy, Maine Energy Marketers Association
Maine's energy costs rank as the sixth-most expensive in the country, largely driven by the prices of heating oil.
If the costs of heating and cooling your home or fueling your car seem high, a new study says you’re not alone.
Maine’s energy costs rank as the sixth-most expensive among the states and the District of Columbia, according to an analysis published last week by financial website WalletHub.
The study compared average monthly residential bills in each state for electricity, natural gas and heating oil, along with the amounts spent on gasoline. Data was taken from census reports, a variety of other federal government agencies and sources such as AAA.
The energy expenditures averaged $370 per month in Maine, a dollar less than the total in Alabama, which was No. 5 in the U.S. The No. 1 state was Connecticut, where the costs averaged $411 per month. The rest of the top five consisted of Wyoming, No. 2 at $403; Massachusetts, No. 3 at $380; and Georgia, No. 4 at $374.
In Maine, the high cost of energy was driven primarily by the price of heating oil, which ranked No. 1 in the country and averaged $92 a month, according to WalletHub. The next-highest cost for heating oil was in New Hampshire, averaging $82 monthly.
In Maine, the spot cash price for heating oil currently averages $2.58 per gallon, according to the Governor's Energy Office.
Other New England states also placed high in WalletHub's overall ranking of energy costs. New Hampshire was No. 10, with a cost of $355; Rhode Island, No. 11, $347; and Vermont, No. 14, $338.
The least expensive spot for energy costs was Washington, D.C., ranking No. 51 with a monthly cost of $217. The state of Washington was No. 50, with expenses averaging $262.
For more information and the complete WalletHub results, click here.
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It would be interesting to know how much of Maine's heating oil is imported from Irving's New Brunswick refinery. Certainly Irving controls the market for gasoline almost completely - charging higher prices in Maine as you get closer to the ME/NB border, despite transport costs being lower (closer to source) but is a more captive market
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