I am writing to respond to Michael Trombley’s Sept. 18 letter. Mr. Trombley announces that “the referendum campaign to replace Central Maine Power and Versant Power with a customer-owned utility, is getting closer to qualifying for the 2023 ballot.”

That really concerns me. And I think it should concern a lot of Mainers. A referendum question that would have the government take over our electric companies? Dangerous.

The thought of merging two mega-companies into one large government agency would be an enormous task. There would be so many moving parts, any one of which has the potential to disrupt service or shut off power to every home, business, hospital and nursing home, school and traffic light.

Here’s one example: launching a new computer system. Imagine having to move hundreds of thousands of records from different accounting programs into one new system. The results can be disastrous.

Another warning sign flashes, this one with glaring dollar signs, when I think about what it will cost to take over two companies worth billions of dollars in assets. Probably more than $10 billion, along with what have to be serious interest charges tacked on. And all of that cost must be paid by us ratepayers. We’ll be paying that back for generations.

I’ll be heeding these warnings if Mr. Trombley’s prediction is correct and the takeover referendum makes it to the ballot.

Breanna Pierce
Gorham


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