There will be a full state investigation of complaints about meter and billing problems at Central Maine Power (CMP).
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) agreed Tuesday to order the investigation, a decision that follows nearly a year of customer complaints, and an audit of the CMP meter and billing systems which thousands of customers have blamed for excessive electric bills.
The central question that the PUC put forward Tuesday: Do the audit results warrant moving from a summary investigation to a full investigation?
Maine's public advocate had said the audit showed problems, but that a more detailed investigation is needed.
Commissioners agreed.
"I’d like to say at the outset that Central Maine Power has made a dismal mess of things in its billing system and customer care system," said PUC commissioner Bruce Williamson.
The investigation will focus on metering and billing issues.
The PUC decided that complaints about poor customer service will be rolled into the current CMP rate increase case already under review by the commission.
"Addressing these service issues in the rate case proceeding will be the most expeditious means by which we can resolve the issues sooner," said PUC chairman Mark Vannoy, "affording all due process rights to all the parties."
He said there would be two separate investigations: billing and metering issues and customer service issues. He said the two investigations would be on separate tracks.
Vannoy would not say what kinds of information they’re looking for, but he did say the billing problems still exist. He said they need continued help from ratepayers.
"Continue to report issues as they have," Vannoy said, "and we will continue to hold Central Maine Power accountable. And I certainly do hope we begin to see Central Maine Power provide the service that we saw back before the adoption of this customer information system."
CMP said the decision is "a reasonable approach."
A leader of the customer group CMP Ratepayers Unite said members of the group are "rejoicing" at word of the investigation.
State Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology said he was pleased with the decision to investigate the widespread complaints.
"Despite CMP's efforts to whitewash the recent audit, today the PUC acknowledged the extremely serious audit findings that over 100,000 billing errors have occurred, that errors continue to occur and that meter errors are resulting in doubling of bills for many Mainers," Rep. Berry said.