Susan Letcher in Bar Harbor breaks it down in MDIslander this week:

"Who stands to benefit from the status quo? Multinational companies and their shareholders. Who stands to benefit from change? Mainers."

https://mdislander.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/game-on/article_b1906960-cf26-11ed-8184-eb59bd53a8fc.html

#MEPolitics #PineTreePower

As the Maine PUC considers #CMP's latest rate hike plan, let's look at some trends over the past decade:

CMP's delivery rate has increased 40%.⬆️

CMP's profits are up 43% ($160M in 2022).💰

CMP's performance has declined 61% to "worst in nation" 👎

#MEPolitics

.
Maine PUC wants to know what you think about CMP's latest rate hike plan.

2 public hearings this week and 1 next week:

4/4 6pm Ramada Inn Lewiston (490 Pleasant St).

4/6 4pm at PUC offices in Hallowell (26 Katherine Dr.)

4/11 6pm Ramada Inn Saco (352 North St)

#MEPolitics

#CMP loves to scare everyone by saying it would cost $13.5B to buy them out.

But they just released an annual report listing their "Total Assets" at $5.4B.

Doesn't add up, does it?

#MEPolitics #FunnyMath

Mike Thibodeau of Presque Isle to the Maine PUC on Versant's proposed rate hike:

"It doesn’t help that Maine’s electric grid is owned by companies outside of the United States who are more interested in profits than in serving Mainers."

https://bangordailynews.com/2023/03/29/news/aroostook/versant-rate-hike-aroostook-customers-n6hjn1me0n/

#MEPolitics #UtilityAccountability

#Avangrid just released #CMP's 2022 financials.

CMP hauled in $160M profit on revenue of $1.1B.

That's a daily profit of $438,356.

https://s24.q4cdn.com/489945429/files/doc_financial/Supplemental_Report/2022/fy22-cmp-financial-statements-and-audit-report.pdf

#MEPolitics #UtilityAccountability

Kathy D’Agostino from Harpswell in today's PressHerald:

"Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I am being bamboozled by Central Maine Power. I think people are much smarter than CMP thinks."

https://pressherald.com/2023/03/24/letter-to-the-editor-pine-tree-power-attack-ads-sit-poorly/

#MEPolitics

Important look by Mehr Sher in today's Bangor Daily News on need to upgrade Maine's grid for clean energy transition.

Question is, do we have CMP and Versant do this job and pay a premium for their heavy profit? Do we trust them to do it right?

#mepolitics

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/03/23/mainefocus/aging-maine-grid-solar-development-roadblock-joam40zk0w/

RT @OurPowerMaine
Consumer-owned electricity has a long, successful history in Maine and there are many communities right now enjoying better service and lower rates than the captive customers of CMP and Versant.

One example is the Houlton area where customers pay only 11.6¢/kWh.

#MEPolitics https://twitter.com/MaineLogic/status/1638561483251499008

Consumer-owned electricity has a long, successful history in Maine and there are many communities right now enjoying better service and lower rates than the captive customers of CMP and Versant.

One example is the Houlton area where customers pay only 11.6¢/kWh.

#MEPolitics

RT @OurPowerMaine
CMP & Versant to customers: "It's not our fault your bills are so high, it's all supply costs."

CMP & Versant to Maine PUC: "Let us jack our delivery rates up again."

CMP/Versant to investors: "All aboard the gravy train!"

#MEPolitics #UtilityAccountability

.EnMax corp., VersantPower's Canadian owner, released their 2022 financials.

Versant took $53M profit (USD) in 2022 off $254M revenue.

Boasts that "Transmission and distribution revenue increased by $17 million due to increased distribution rates."

Versant wants yet another rate hike in 2023--30% jump. Enmax says this will "produce approximately $34 million USD in additional annual revenue."

https://enmax.com/AboutUsSite/Reports/2022-ENMAX-Financial-Report.pdf

#MEPolitics

Francis Weld from Scarborough in the PressHerald:

"If you care about climate change, vote next fall to replace CMP and Versant with Pine Tree Power, a nonprofit consumer-owned utility."

https://pressherald.com/2023/03/13/letter-to-the-editor-pine-tree-power-will-better-confront-climate-change/

#MEPolitics #ClimateActionNow

While CMP & Versant are asking for big rate hikes this year, #PineTreePower will cut rates by 10% in the very first year.

Mainers will save $9 billion in the first 3 decades--and the savings will begin immediately.

#MEPolitics #UtilityAccountability

https://ourpowermaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/our-power-press-release-3-8-23.pdf

How much would #PineTreePower save ratepayers?

Over $9 billion in the first 30 years.

Those billions could be reinvested in the grid and/or returned to ratepayers as savings instead of padding corporate profits at Avangrid and Enmax.

#MEPolitics

Rebecca G. from Franklin:

"By getting rid of our foreign privately owned utilities that do nothing but raise prices and provide poor service, we will be able to have more control and accountability over the operation of our own power grid."

#MEPolitics

https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/supporting-pine-tree-power/article_de76741e-b48d-11ed-8695-57d3a2df0233.html

Central Maine Power's owner
Avangrid just announced their 2022 net income: $881M (+25% over 2021).

Good times for utility corporations.

Not so much for their #captivecustomers.

Avangrid boasts that results "benefited from the execution of rate plans in New York and Maine"

#MEPolitics #AvanGreed

Take Note 📝
Greater Portland Metro is now 50% off for the next 7 months. Only $3/Day or $30 a month! Love this, hope ridership increases.

#Maine #publictransport #MEpolitics #farecapping #PortlandME

Imagine having a say in how your electric utility is run and helping make decisions like how to improve service or get more #RenewablePower.

That will happen when local nonprofit #PineTreePower manages our grid instead of corporations from away.

#MEPolitics #LocalControl

A message to the people in power:

The assignment is overdue, you are failing young people. The time to procrastinate climate action is over. We must take action now to avert the worst affects of the climate crisis.
#StopPeabodyPeaker #mapoli #mepolitics #ClimateEmergency