Matt Leonard recently warned against a government-run electrical company in Maine (“Government shouldn’t control electric utility,” Feb. 26).
I agree. Right now, CMP and Versant are regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, a three-member board appointed by the governor.
But we’ve got the chance right now to take control of our electricity. How? With the Pine Tree Power Company, a consumer-owned utility. “Consumer owned” means that it would be governed by a board that we elect, accountable to us.
Pine Tree Power would also be not for profit, so everything we pay would stay in-state. CMP, meanwhile, is effectively owned by a Spanish company, Iberdrola. Versant’s parent company belongs to Calgary, Canada. When was the last time Mainers voted in Calgary, or for a member of CMP’s board of directors?
CMP and Versant’s investors want profit, and with non-renewable energy costs on the rise, they have had to hike rates by more than 80%, lining their pockets with our paychecks. And what can we do about it? Nothing — except take our electricity into our own hands with a consumer-owned utility.
With Pine Tree Power, everyone except CMP’s and Versant’s executive teams are guaranteed their same jobs — plus a bonus.
CMP and Versant are doing everything they can to scare us away from Pine Tree Power. Their message — that a consumer owned utility would be under government control — is a lie. People should not be fooled. Pine Tree Power offers us real power over our electricity. Let’s take it.
Sorrel Dunn, Harrison
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