AUGUSTA, Maine — Its been four years since the billing system crisis first hit Central Maine Power, but consumers and some Legislators have long memories. That was clear at a public hearing in Tuesday's Legislature's Energy and Utilities Committee.
"We see inaccurate billing affect thousands of ratepayers, folks go weeks to get their lights back on, and terrible customer service," Sen. Stacey Brenner, D-Gorham, said.
Brenner is the sponsor of LD 1959, a bill from Gov. Janet Mills that would use the Public Utilities Commission to impose stricter requirements and penalties on Maine's two large electric utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant Power.
The PUC said CMP had made significant improvements in customer service and quality of service over the past two years, but CMP President Joe Purington said the company isn't getting credit for that.
"People are not looking at present performance. It's discouraging to us because we've seen significant improvement in that and are hoping people will see that as well," Purington said.
During the lengthy public hearing on the governor's bill, it appeared many people had not heard the company's message.
Legislators from both parties are supporting the governor's bill, which, among other things, would require quarterly reporting by the utilities on how well they are meeting performance goals set by the PUC, significant fines if they fail to do so, more frequent audits, new protections for whistleblowers, and regular reporting of threats to their systems from climate change.
Maine Public Advocate William Harwood, who helped write the bill before assuming his current position, told committee members it would help ensure better performance by the utilities.
"The combined impact of all parts of the bill will provide greater accountability and greater ratepayer protection against high rates or poor service," Harwood said.
Several committee members appeared unconvinced, judging by comments and questions. Last year the committee and the full Legislature supported the so-called Pine Tree Power bill to force a consumer takeover of CMP and Versant. Gov. Mills vetoed that bill. A citizen petition drive is underway, trying to force a statewide vote on the issue, and supporters see the Governor's LD 1959 bill as an effort to respond to that.
Sen. Rick Bennett, R-Oxford, supported the consumer-owned utility effort and said the governor's bill wouldn't fix the problems affecting Maine's utilities.
"I'm not a believer in false hope or giving false hope," Bennet said. He added the bill doesn't address what he considers the root cause of the problem: foreign ownership of Maine utilities.
"Those companies are accountable ultimately to a foreign conglomerate in Spain and the City of Calgary, Canada, not to Maine people. And those investors are there for the purpose of making money from Maine ratepayers."
Bennett, like several committee members and others, said the governor's bill would need significant changes to make it tougher on utilities if supporters hope to sway more votes.