The American Prospect on the case for public utility ownership - mentions #PineTreePower initiative in #Maine : https://prospect.org/environment/2023-08-30-private-monopolies-fuel-climate-disaster-public-corruption/

#BernieSanders backs #PineTreePower’s #utility takeover campaign

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/07/27/bernie-sanders-backs-pine-tree-powers-utility-takeover-campaign/?ref=am-quickie.ghost.io
The #Vermont senator urged #Mainers to support the upcoming referendum to create a statewide public #powercompany and push out Central #Maine Power and Versant #Power.

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

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

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

Who controls Maine's grid?

With CMP it's investors in Spanish conglomerate Iberdrola (including Qatar & Norway) and with Versant the city of Calgary, Canada. Maine customers have no say.

With #PineTreePower customers here in Maine would be in control.

#MEPolitics #Energy