Our electric grid is a lifeline for our schools, hospitals, businesses, homes and emergency responders. I understand the need for continuous improvement and accountability, but when weighed against the lack of planning and the enormous risk, Pine Tree Power just doesn’t stand up to the challenges we have ahead of us.
Op-Eds
Expert Opinions
Tom Saviello, former legislator from Franklin County & consultant for Maine Energy Progress.
Tom Saviello: Question 3 and Pine Tree Power: Details matter
Mary Ann Lynch, former vice president and general counsel of the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Co. and former chairwoman of the Cape Elizabeth Town Council.
Commentary: Endorsement paints too-rosy picture of Maine public power authority
As a former energy lawyer, I have serious concerns about Question 3, which calls for the taking of private property from Central Maine Power and Versant Power to create a public power authority...
John M. Mishler, former dean of graduate studies and research and a professor of natural sciences at the University of Maryland and a former dean of the Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture.
Maine Voices: What about the many unknowns facing Pine Tree Power?
I have been rather fascinated to read the discussion of Maine’s upcoming referendum Question 3 – the Pine Tree Power initiative – among a large spectrum of local citizens. A wide range of views have been expressed, although without a clear and constant consensus being formulated. I have taken the liberty of reviewing a variety of websites purporting to possess answers to the many questions raised by the Pine Tree Power initiative, but have found that more questions are raised than answered.
Kurt Pullman of Brunswick, a senior manager at Central Maine Power
Kurt Pullman: The squeaky wheel gets the grease: Thoughts on why government-controlled power is wrong for Maine
I encourage voters to think carefully about whether they want their electric utility run by politicians or, instead, a utility managed by technical experts with knowledge, experience and a vested interest to do the right thing for Maine.
Andrew Rabbe, Substation Supervisor at Central Maine Power
Andrew Rabbe: Politicians shouldn’t control our power
This November, we are voting on the Pine Tree Power referendum — a proposal to seize the state’s utilities and create a state-run power authority. Take it from someone who worked for the government-owned electric utility on Long Island, New York: putting politicians in charge of the power grid is a really bad idea.
Former-Rep. Tina Riley, Member of Electric Ratepayers' Advisory Council
Pine Tree Power isn’t worth the risk
The best way to serve ratepayers’ needs and meet our climate change response goals is to keep moving forward on this path. Taking on this expensive, years-long court battle would push us in the wrong direction. It just isn’t worth the risk.
Tim Plouff and former-Rep. Alan Baker
Commentary: Pine Tree Power wrong for Maine
With no capacity to generate energy, PTP will have no advantage over CMP or Versant. PTP will be unable to save its way to lower operating costs with billions of new debt. With no capacity to generate energy, PTP will be unable to increase market share or increase income margin. PTP effectively will produce nothing except more debt and higher electricity rates. Pine Tree Power is the wrong decision for Maine.
REP. NATHAN WADSWORTH AND REP. CHARLOTTE WARREN
Commentary: Seizing Maine’s utilities won’t get us closer to clean-energy future
As a progressive Democrat and a conservative Republican serving in the Maine House, we find our-selves on opposite sides of many issues that come before the Legislature. But one thing we agree on is that a government takeover of the state’s electric grid is a lousy idea...
Tony Sapienza, Business Manager, IBEW Local 1837 Maine-New Hampshire
Letter to the Editor: We can trust CMP and Versant to manage the electric grid
Recently (Our View, April 10), the Maine Sunday Telegram’s editorial board endorsed a proposal in the Legislature that would add a new layer of bureaucracy to the way our electric grid is managed, maintained and improved. The editors got one thing right: We must move quickly to address climate change and electrify our economy – but they got just about everything else wrong.
MICHAEL MONAHAN, Vice President IBEW International District 2, AND TOM KUHN
Commentary: Government control of Maine’s energy grid is not the answer
The fact is, a government-owned utility controlled mostly by elected politicians and operated by a for-profit contractor would provide few, if any, benefits to Mainers and, using realistic projections, could cost Mainers more than $4.7 billion in additional costs during the first 30 years of operation.
Barbara Alexander, former director of the Consumer Assistance Division of the MPUC
Maine Voices: Public power would be a bad deal for Maine
Maine needs to focus on the tasks before us and not spend millions debating a proposal that will divert our attention from needed investments in reliability of service, ensuring affordable electricity for vulnerable households, and upgrading the grid to handle renewable energy investments. We can achieve all these goals without taking private property and setting in motion years of litigation and delay.
Mark Cayer, Jason Levesque, Michael Foley, David Rollins:
Local mayors skeptical of CMP/Versant takeover legislation
If LD 1708 were to pass, this new consumer-owned utility — governed by elected officials — would be deemed a “quasi-governmental” entity (like a local water district), exempt from property taxes. That would leave our residents and businesses to pay more.