Utilities

Electric and gas utility providers can disconnect services for customers behind on their payments without approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission after the winter disconnection protection period ended Tuesday.

The Department of Energy finalized new appliance energy standards last month that could provide long-term savings to Maine families and businesses.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills continues to express skepticism over a ballot measure that would take over Maine's two largest electric utilities and replace them with a nonprofit operated by an elected board.

In drafting the referendum, Maine's Secretary of State described the proposed power company as “quasi-governmental." But several supporters said the term is unclear and misleading.

The Maine AFL-CIO is opposing the consumer-owned utility referendum, saying a publicly-owned utility would threaten the rights of workers and create uncertainty for consumers.

The Democratic legislators who support a takeover of Maine's two largest electricity utilities dropped their opposition Wednesday to a bill designed to hold those same companies more accountable to regulators.

In this week's Pulse: Mills’ utility accountability bill divisions, Democratic or anti-vaxx ‘activists’?, ‘fact-finding’ trips to Europe, mutual admiration, and odds and ends in the Legislature.

If approved, the $8 million proposal would give 90,000 low-income Maine households a one-time $90 credit to help with increased electricity rates.

Based on the headlines, it would be easy to think that the Maine Public Utilities Commission spends all of its time addressing issues regarding CMP. But…