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Here’s how I think Pine Tree Power will shake out if it’s passed by voters in November. Maine taxpayers will be forced to borrow billions of dollars to seize our existing utilities. A new utility, run by politicians who believe they’re smarter than those of us doing the job now, will be established from scratch. They’ll make many poor decisions that’ll affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
I believe Pine Tree Power’s big promises of lower electric bills won’t ever happen. We’ll see even higher rates. Everybody — ratepayers, employees, the regulators — will end up mad at whatever company is brought in to operate the system. We’ll lose lots of really good workers who actually know what they’re doing. We won’t see enough upgrades to make the system stronger or ready for the future, because the politicians in charge will care more about getting elected the next cycle.
How do I know? This is happening now in other places. Long Island, New York, and Puerto Rico brought politics into their electric grids and ended up with massive corruption and poor planning. Now both are struggling to figure out what to do next while their customers suffer.
I think Pine Tree Power is a replica of Long Island’s failed model. I don’t want to see Maine end up in the same mess. I say no thanks to Pine Tree Power.
Eric Lunt
Employee
Central Maine Power
Corinth
