The state of Maine’s public advocate, Barry Hobbins, says that during the Public Utilities Commission probe of billing problems at Central Maine Power, the commission refused to let his office intervene in the case. Hobbins says because of that, the hundreds of CMP billing complaints his office received were never seen by the consultant that the commission had hired to look into the matter.
“We were not able, because of a decision by the Public Utilities Commission, to open up an investigation and only an inquiry, we were not able to intervene in that case,” Hobbins says.
Hobbins says his office should have the right to intervene in such cases and has submitted legislation to allow assure that authority.
“Liberty Consulting never contacted our office and tried to look at the hundreds and hundreds of complaints and bills that people have sent us,” says Hobbins. “So I am disappointed, and the reason for that is that we were not a party to the case.”
