The cost to take over the grid would be nearly three times the size of Maine’s annual state budget.
Annual state taxes paid by our private power companies, helping fund schools, healthcare, and critical public safety services. The state would lose this revenue with a takeover.
The extra cost of paying a private company to run the day-to-day operations of the public grid. This could lead to hidden operational fees and higher electricity bills. In some cases, it has also led to corruption, underfunded pensions and legal battles.
The amount Central Maine Power alone has invested over the past decade to improve Maine’s power grid and meet renewable energy goals. Future investments would be footed by Maine’s ratepayers and managed by politicians.