• Fuels

    Maine PowerOptions conducts a one-day fuel bidding event each year, usually in the springtime, to allow multiple fuel vendors to bid on contracts to supply our members’ fuel needs over the coming year.

    ELIGIBILITY

    All members of MPO are eligible to participate in the fuel bidding process, with no hidden fees and no obligation to contract for any of the bids they receive. View or edit fuel account details in your member portal.

    The 2024-25 fuel bid event is now complete. Interested members are asked to reach out to us to register as a participant for the 2025-26 fuel year.

    All fuels suppliers in Maine who are willing to bid and able to deliver as contracted to different regions of the state are invited to do so. Suppliers pay a nominal fee based upon the number of gallons sold through MPO.

    To register as a fuel supplier in next year’s bid event, please call us at 207-621-0744. A certificate of liability and workers’ comp insurance is required.

    RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS

    Maine Weekly Average Heating Fuel Prices from Governor’s Energy Office
    Maine Heating Fuel Prices by Region and Dealer

    FUEL BIDDING PROCESS

    MPO members log into their member portal and enter their estimated fuels needs for the coming year, with details about delivery sites, fuel tank sizes, etc.
    This information is compiled from all participating members and sent out to a list of participating suppliers as a request for bids.
    We choose one certain day for all bids to be returned, because all suppliers must bid based on commodity market prices in real time. Prices can be held only for a matter of hours, as market prices change rapidly.
    We notify the participating members via email when their bids are visible on our website and they tell us which (if any) of the bids they want to accept and put under contract.
    Members have the option to choose a fixed or indexed price, or (if offered) a hybrid price that starts out fixed and may be adjusted once, if market rates drop during the year.
    Contract periods normally run from July 1 to June 30.
    MPO sends out agreements for both the members and suppliers to e-sign via docusign on the same day. Some suppliers will also require our members to sign a separate agreement directly with them.

    TIMING

    MPO selects the optimal time for the fuel bid event to take place, based on market trends and educated guesses. There is no guarantee that market prices will not fall after the fuel bid event, and having a set price to budget for before the turn of the fiscal year is helpful, according to member feedback.

    HOW TO GET STARTED

    All members who are interested in viewing fuel bids are encouraged to reach out to us to register as a participant. We will communicate with all participants via email and you are welcome to call us with specific questions.

    ON BID DAY:

    Bids are displayed to logged-in members after being uploaded by MPO staff on the morning of bid day.
    Members can click on the bids they want to accept and contract for (or none).
    This generates a participant agreement and “Attachment A” document that is emailed out for electronic signature by participants and suppliers..
    Bids are taken down at the end of the bidding period.