New England's natural gas crunch and Russia's war are pushing electric rates higher. : That’s the outlook for electricity supply rates most Mainers will pay next year. The prices for power generation are destined to rise again. Exactly how high will become clear in November. The prime culprit, experts say, is the ripple effect from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on natural gas prices in New England, notably liquefied natural gas imports. “The region remains highly reliant on natural gas for electricity generation, resulting in volatile electricity prices,” said Philip Bartlett, chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission.