AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Janet Mills stepped into the utility debate Wednesday asking voters to reject Pine Tree Power, which is up for a vote this November.
On Nov. 7, Question 3 asks voters if they would like to replace CMP and Versant's ownership of Maine's utility customers with a nonprofit called Pine Tree Power.
Pine Tree Power, which is backed by Our Power, would buy out CMP and Versant's resources and start providing power to 96% of Maine's utility customers.
"The stakes are high. And if you have doubts as I do, let’s not gamble with Maine’s future – please vote no on Question 3," Mills said in a pre-recorded audio message.
Advocates for Pine Tree Power argue that people should listen to the frustrations surrounding current owners CMP and Versant, and not the advice of politicians.
"We're not looking for a politician to tell us who to vote for. We're looking at our electric bills and the existing consumer utilities across Maine that are saving people money right now," Al Cleveland, from Our Power, said.
The governor listed off her reservations to the proposal, which would form an advisory board in the months following Pine Tree Powers' acquisition of CMP and Versant's resources.
She cited the costs that Pine Tree Power would pay to acquire the resources, which the office of the Public Advocate said would be up to a judge. CMP and Versant-funded organizations said it could be up to $13 billion.
The governor also cited concerns with the process of transferring power from CMP and Versant to Pine Tree Power if voters push it through.
"Because Question 3 is a hostile take-over of our utilities with eminent domain, we are guaranteed to go to court and to be tied up in litigation for years, if not decades," Mills said.
Meanwhile, as the state's top executive jumps into the political debate, the Office of the Public Advocate is taking a nonpartisan approach, but issuing a fact sheet for voters to see the pros and cons of voting on Pine Tree Power.
"In the 40 years of doing this work I can not think of a solution just like this," Bill Harwood, the state's Public Advocate, said. "The governor and political leaders are taking positions for and against."
Harwood's office's fact sheet said the sheer unknowns that come with voting yes on Question 3 should be a concern to voters, but added that data proves savings would come to customers long term if they do approve Question 3.