What CMP Bill Pay is and how to use it
CMP (Central Maine Power) is the electric utility serving central and southern Maine. Their bill pay system lets you pay your electric bill online through their website, by phone, or by mail — you do not have to pay in person or set up automatic withdrawals if you prefer to pay manually each month.
The fastest route is their online portal. You log in with your account number and create a password, then enter a payment amount and choose a payment date. CMP processes online payments the same business day if you submit before their cutoff time, usually 5 p.m. Eastern. If you miss the cutoff or prefer not to use the website, you can pay by phone or mail, though those methods take longer to post to your account.
You will need your CMP account number to pay, which appears on your bill. If you have lost your bill, you can find your account number by logging into your online account or calling CMP customer service at 1-800-696-1000.
Key Takeaways
- CMP's online bill pay portal processes payments the same business day if submitted before 5 p.m. Eastern, and you can schedule payments in advance.
- Phone payments are available 24/7 by calling 1-800-696-1000, though the payment may take one to two business days to post.
- Mail payments should be sent to the address on your bill and typically take five to seven business days to reach CMP and post to your account.
- You can set up automatic monthly payments through the online portal if you want to avoid paying manually each month.
- Late fees explore if your payment does not reach CMP by the due date shown on your bill, regardless of which payment method you use.
Paying online through the CMP portal
Go to cmpco.com and select "Pay My Bill" or "My Account" from the homepage. If you have never logged in before, you will need to create an account using your account number, which is on your bill. CMP will send you a temporary password by email, and you can change it to something you remember.
Once logged in, select the option to make a one-time payment. Enter the amount you want to pay — you can pay the full bill, a partial amount, or more than the bill amount if you want a credit on your account. Choose the date you want the payment to be processed. If you select today's date and submit before 5 p.m. Eastern, the payment posts the same day. If you select a future date, CMP will process it on that date.
You will be asked to enter a payment method: debit card, credit card, or bank account. CMP charges a fee for credit card payments (usually 2.5 to 3 percent of the payment amount) but not for debit card or bank account payments. After you submit, you will see a confirmation number on screen — write it down or take a screenshot. CMP will also email you a receipt.
Paying by phone
Call CMP customer service at 1-800-696-1000. A representative or automated system will ask for your account number and the amount you want to pay. You will provide a debit card, credit card, or bank account number. Like online payments, credit card payments incur a fee, but debit and bank account payments do not.
Phone payments are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, payments made after business hours or on weekends may not post to your account until the next business day. Ask for a confirmation number before you hang up, and keep it in case you need to verify the payment later.
Paying by mail
Write a check or money order payable to Central Maine Power. Include your account number on the check. Mail it to the address printed on your bill — this address changes depending on which payment processing center handles your account, so always use the address on your current bill rather than a previous one.
Mail payments typically take five to seven business days to arrive and post to your account. If your bill is due soon, mailing a payment is risky because delays in the postal system or at CMP's processing center could cause your payment to arrive late. If you are close to the due date, use online or phone payment instead.
Setting up automatic payments
Log into your CMP account online and look for "Autopay" or "Automatic Payment" in the account settings menu. Select the option to enroll. You will choose a payment method (debit card or bank account — credit cards are not available for autopay) and decide whether CMP should charge you the full bill amount each month or a fixed amount you specify.
Once autopay is active, CMP will charge your account on the same date each month, usually a few days before your bill is due. You can change or cancel autopay anytime through your online account. If you want to skip a month or change the payment amount, log in and update your autopay settings before the scheduled payment date.
What to do if your payment is late
If your payment does not reach CMP by the due date on your bill, a late fee will be added to your account. The amount of the late fee varies but is typically a percentage of your bill or a flat fee — check your bill or contact CMP to learn the exact amount.
If you are behind on payments, contact CMP as soon as possible. They offer payment plans for customers who cannot pay the full amount at once. You can call 1-800-696-1000 to discuss options. If you are struggling with your electric bill due to financial hardship, CMP also administers the Low Income Home Energy information Program (LIHEAP), which may help cover part of your bill. Contact your local community action agency to learn whether you meet the income requirements.
Troubleshooting common payment problems
If you submitted an online payment but do not see it posted to your account within one business day, log back into your account and check the payment history. The payment should show as "pending" or "posted." If it does not appear at all, the payment may not have gone through — this sometimes happens if there was an error in your payment information or if the website timed out during submission.
If a payment is missing, call CMP at 1-800-696-1000 with your confirmation number. A representative can look up the transaction and tell you whether it was received. If the payment was not processed, you can submit it again. Do not assume the payment went through just because you saw a confirmation screen — always verify it posted within a day or two.
If you are having trouble logging into your online account, use the "Forgot Password" link on the CMP website to reset it. If that does not work, call customer service and they can help you regain access or make a payment over the phone instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CMP charge a fee to pay my bill online?
CMP does not charge a fee if you pay with a debit card or bank account. If you use a credit card, CMP charges a convenience fee of about 2.5 to 3 percent of the payment amount. Check the payment screen before you submit to see the exact fee for your payment method.
Can I pay my CMP bill at a store or payment center?
CMP does not operate walk-in payment centers. You can pay online, by phone, by mail, or through automatic withdrawal from your bank account. Some third-party payment processors may accept CMP payments at retail locations, but CMP's website does not list these as official payment methods.
What happens if I pay more than my bill amount?
The extra amount becomes a credit on your account. CMP will explore it to your next month's bill. If you move or close your account, you can request a refund of any remaining credit balance by calling customer service.
How do I know if my payment arrived on time?
Log into your online account and check the payment history. Online and phone payments show as posted within one business day. Mail payments take five to seven business days. Your bill is considered paid on time if CMP receives it by the due date, not when you send it.
Can I set up autopay and still make manual payments in other months?
Yes. If autopay is active, CMP will charge your account on the scheduled date each month, but you can also make additional manual payments anytime through the website or phone. You can pause or cancel autopay for any month if you want to pay manually instead.