There’s a bit of a disagreement between Central Maine Power (CMP) and Maine’s Public Advocate about money spent to fix power problems after storms last year.
The Public Advocate, Bill Harwood, thinks CMP used too much money—about $53 million—and wants regulators to stop them from getting it back from the people who use their service.
Harwood believes CMP Harwood says CMP didn’t follow their own rules when fixing power after storms, and he thinks they hired too many outside helpers just to make customers happy.
“We know that CMP can spend money in huge quantities and improve service,” said Harwood. “We also know that some people, maybe a lot, can’t afford big bill increases. So, we’re trying to get the right balance.
Finding that balance Harwood says it’s crucial to find a balance between fixing things fast and not making bills too high, especially with more storms happening because of climate change.
But at a meeting, some business owners and town officials defended CMP. They said they rely on CMP to fix things quickly.
“As our residents grow older, due to life expectancy increases and a greater emphasis on aging in place, the need for faster restoration becomes far more serious,” said George O’Keefe from Rumford.
And several businesses and trade groups wrote in to support CMP too.
CMP, in their papers to the Maine Public Utilities Commission, said that the Public Advocate misunderstood their plans and that they don’t set strict limits on the number of workers.
CMP says their response to last year’s storms, especially the one close to Christmas, was a success.
“Customers expect CMP to restore electrical service as quickly and safely as possible after a storm,” CMP said. “If we did it the way the [Public Advocate] suggests, customers would have been without power for hours and days longer, including over the Christmas holiday.”
