Policymakers Propose New Legislation to Enhance Accountability and Service Quality for Maine’s Utility Companies

After a defeat of a ballot measure that sought to replace Central Maine Power (CMP) and Versant with a consumer-owned power company, policymakers and advocates are exploring other ways of regulating and improving service by the state’s primary utilities. One possible path forward is legislation being proposed by Rep. Gerry Runte, a Democrat from York, which aims to create additional accountability metrics for utilities to spur better service. The bill would build on a measure approved by lawmakers in 2022 that requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to adopt rules for CMP and Versants that include quantitative metrics around service quality, customer service, field service, and interconnection of smaller scale electricity sources. Runte’s bill would also direct the PUC to consider performance-based mechanisms being used in other states and create a group within the commission to implement the measure. Critics argue that effective implementation of PBR can be an effective step towards incentivizing better service from CMP/Versant if implemented correctly.