AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Public Utility Commission is asking interested parties whether it should reopen a request for proposals on long-term energy contracts after it voted to give preliminary approval to two wind power projects in December.
The PUC says the rapidly changing economic dynamics within the energy industry may be a reason to reconsider its earlier approval. But Assistant Senate Minority Leader Dawn Hill says the PUC's request for comment on reconsideration was actually prompted by a letter from Gov. Paul LePage who asked the agency to do just that.
"My big concern here is: What does the governor thinking the PUC is? It's the 'PUC,' Public Utilities Commission, set up to protect the ratepayers and operated in a quasi-judicial fashion," Hill says. "I'm concerned that he's reading it wrong. He's seeing it as 'PUCK' — something he can push around with a broom and a stick."
The PUC is scheduled to meet on Feb. 25, to discuss the RFP process further.
Tune in to Maine Things Considered tonight for more on this story.