Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) Rate Selection Guide
Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil distributes natural gas to roughly 35,400 customers in Maine's Bangor and Lewiston areas as part of Unitil Corporation. Customers download up to 24 months of billing history as CSV through the MyUnitil portal, while licensed competitive gas suppliers pull usage via ANSI X.12 EDI (867) under Maine EBT standards and PUC Chapter 322 data-transfer rules; gas interval data and Green Button are not yet available.
Market Overview
Competitive gas supply with regulated Unitil distribution; Maine PUC licenses suppliers and governs data transfer under 65-407 C.M.R. Chapter 322.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Northern Utilities' Maine Division (Unitil) classifies C&I gas customers into six firm rate schedules based on annual volume and winter peak-period share of usage: G-40/G-41/G-42 for high-peak (heating-dominated) loads and G-50/G-51/G-52 for low-peak (process or year-round) loads, at small (≤8,000 therms/yr), medium (8,000–80,000), and large (>80,000) annual volumes. Bills combine a fixed customer charge, a two-block distribution charge, small EERA and ERC riders, and a Cost of Gas factor that resets seasonally — or is removed entirely if you buy supply from a third-party marketer. As of the May 2024 rate summary, G-40 carried a $78.02/month customer charge with distribution at $0.5114/therm (first 70 therms) and $0.4378 thereafter, plus a ~$0.35/therm cost of gas. Interruptible and delivery-only (transportation) schedules are also available; see the tariff for current figures.
Effective: May 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-40 — C&I Low Annual / High Peak | commercial | C&I accounts using ≤8,000 therms/year with ≥67% of usage in the winter peak period (heating-dominated small businesses) | $78.02/month customer charge; distribution $0.5114/therm up to 70 therms, $0.4378 over 70 therms; EERA $0.0069 and ERC $0.0020 riders; Cost of Gas ~$0.3511/therm (resets seasonally) | ~$0.79–0.87/therm all-in delivered (May 2024) |
| G-50 — C&I Low Annual / Low Peak | commercial | C&I accounts using ≤8,000 therms/year with <67% winter-peak usage (year-round process loads, restaurants, laundries) | $78.02/month customer charge; distribution $0.5128/therm up to 70 therms, $0.4348 over; EERA/ERC riders; Cost of Gas ~$0.3074/therm — lower than G-40 reflecting flatter load | ~$0.75–0.83/therm all-in delivered (May 2024) |
| G-41 / G-51 — C&I Medium Annual | commercial | Accounts using 8,000–80,000 therms/year; G-41 if ≥67% peak-period usage, G-51 if below | Higher customer charge with lower per-therm block distribution rates than the small-volume schedules; same rider structure; see tariff for current rates | — |
| G-42 / G-52 — C&I High Annual | industrial | Largest accounts using >80,000 therms/year; G-42 high-peak, G-52 low-peak | Highest customer charge, lowest per-therm distribution rates; most G-42/G-52 customers pair delivery service with third-party gas supply or interruptible schedules; see tariff for current rates | — |
| Delivery Service (Transportation) | industrial | C&I customers purchasing gas from a competitive marketer; Northern Utilities delivers only | Distribution charges per the customer's G-class schedule; Cost of Gas factor removed and replaced by the marketer's commodity price; supplier coordination handled via EDI | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Heating-dominated commercial building (office, retail, school)
Portland, Lewiston-Auburn, and Bangor-area buildings whose gas use spikes November–April land on the high-peak G-40/G-41/G-42 series.
Schedule assignment is automatic based on Northern's usage records — ≥67% peak-period usage triggers the high-peak series, which carries a higher cost-of-gas factor reflecting winter supply costs.
- Verify your annual therms against the 8,000 and 80,000 thresholds — crossing one moves you to a cheaper per-therm schedule
- Above ~20,000 therms/year, get quotes from competitive marketers; Maine allows C&I supply choice
- Budget for the seasonal Cost of Gas reset each November
Year-round process load (restaurant, laundry, food production)
Facilities with flat, year-round gas consumption qualify for the low-peak G-50/G-51/G-52 series.
The low-peak schedules carry a lower cost-of-gas factor (~$0.31 vs ~$0.35/therm in May 2024) because flat loads avoid expensive winter peak supply — a structural advantage for process users.
- Confirm Northern's records correctly classify your peak-period share; misclassification onto a G-4x schedule overcharges flat loads
- Track usage monthly — adding heating load can flip you to the high-peak series at the next review
- Compare third-party supply offers against the posted Cost of Gas factor before each winter
Large industrial / multi-site portfolio (>80,000 therms/yr)
Manufacturers and large institutional users on G-42/G-52 should treat distribution and supply as separate procurement decisions.
At this volume, switching to delivery-only service with a competitive marketer typically beats the default Cost of Gas, and interruptible schedules offer further discounts for loads with backup fuel.
- Enroll a marketer via Northern's EDI trading-partner process; usage history flows through 867 transactions
- Evaluate interruptible service if you have dual-fuel capability — see the Interruptible Service Schedules in the Maine tariff
- Aggregate sites with one marketer for stronger commodity pricing
Cost Optimization Strategies
Gas cost on Northern Utilities Maine splits into regulated delivery (customer charge, distribution blocks, riders) and the commodity (Cost of Gas factor or marketer supply). Delivery savings come from correct schedule classification; commodity savings come from competitive procurement and load shape. There are no demand charges — volume and peak-period share drive everything.
Competitive gas supply procurement
For: C&I accounts, especially >20,000 therms/year
Maine C&I customers can buy gas from third-party marketers while Northern delivers it. Compare fixed-price and index offers against the posted Cost of Gas factor (~$0.31–0.35/therm in May 2024, resets seasonally). Larger loads get materially better pricing.
Rate schedule classification review
For: Accounts near the 67% peak-period or 8,000/80,000 therm thresholds
Northern assigns G-40 through G-52 from its own usage records. If your peak-period share has dropped below 67% (e.g., after electrifying heating or adding summer process load), request reclassification to the low-peak series and its lower cost-of-gas factor.
Interruptible / delivery-only service
For: Large C&I with backup fuel capability (G-42/G-52 class)
Large customers with dual-fuel backup can take interruptible service schedules at discounted delivery rates, accepting curtailment on the coldest days. Pairing this with marketer supply maximizes the discount.
Winter load reduction and efficiency
For: All heating-dominated C&I accounts
Because the high-peak schedules and seasonal Cost of Gas concentrate cost in winter, boiler tune-ups, steam trap maintenance, heat recovery, and building controls cut therms exactly when they're most expensive. Efficiency Maine offers C&I incentives for natural gas measures.
Block-rate awareness for small accounts
For: Small C&I accounts on G-40/G-50
Distribution drops from ~$0.51 to ~$0.44/therm after the first 70 therms each month. Small accounts straddling multiple meters can sometimes consolidate service to push more volume into the cheaper block — verify metering rules with Northern first.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Maine gas customers may purchase their gas commodity from licensed competitive suppliers while Northern Utilities continues regulated distribution and metering. The Maine PUC licenses all suppliers and governs data exchange between suppliers and the utility.
How to Compare Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) Suppliers
- 01Pull 12-24 months of usage from MyUnitil (CSV) or via a supplier's Ch. 322 data request
- 02Compare competitive supplier offers against Northern Utilities' cost of gas
- 03Sign a supply agreement that includes data-sharing authorization
- 04Supplier enrolls the account via an 814 EDI transaction under Maine EBT standards
Contract Terms for Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs. index gas pricing
- Contract length and renewal terms
- Data-sharing authorization clauses
- Balancing and capacity arrangements for large C&I loads
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil (Maine) Rates
- Confirm the offer covers commodity only (distribution stays with Unitil)
- Incremental data-request fees may be passed through
- Only 12 months of usage history is available to suppliers via EDI
Frequently Asked Questions
How do C&I customers download billing and usage data from Northern Utilities (Unitil) in Maine?▾
Register at https://myaccount.unitil.com/, open Bills & Payments, and use the Download tool to export up to 24 months of billing, payment, or usage history as CSV. Multiple accounts can be linked to one profile and exported in a single file, which makes portfolio-level analysis straightforward.
Is interval data available for Maine gas accounts?▾
No. Northern Utilities has not deployed interval-capable meters for Maine gas distribution, so only monthly billed usage is available. Unitil is exploring hourly interval load settlement and Green Button Connect My Data, but no Maine gas timeline has been announced.
How do competitive gas suppliers get customer usage data?▾
Licensed suppliers register with Northern Utilities, then request data either via written request under Maine PUC 65-407 C.M.R. ch. 322 § 9 (with customer authorization, up to 12 months, typically 5-10 business days, incremental cost charged) or via EDI 867 Historical Usage transactions under Maine EBT standards on the noon daily processing cycle.
Does Northern Utilities support EDI, and what transactions are available?▾
Yes. Northern Utilities follows Maine EBT standards using ANSI X.12: 814 (enrollment/service agreement), 820 (payments), 867 (historical usage), and 810 (supplier invoices). Suppliers connect via VAN or direct X.12 after PUC licensing, registration, testing, and Unitil supplier training.
How can an energy management platform integrate Northern Utilities data without an API?▾
There is no public API. Practical paths are: scheduled MyUnitil CSV exports by the customer, partnering with a licensed competitive supplier who pulls data via EDI/Ch. 322, or direct customer-authorized data requests to the utility. Monitor Unitil's Green Button Connect My Data development for a future standardized ESPI/OAuth channel.
Can Maine customers shop for a competitive gas supplier?▾
Yes. Maine's gas supply market is competitive: Northern Utilities remains the regulated distributor while licensed suppliers compete for the commodity. Suppliers enroll customers via 814 EDI transactions; the Maine PUC (maine.gov/puc) licenses suppliers and oversees the market.
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