(The Center Square) – Maine voters this fall will finally have their say in a years-long proposal that could create a statewide, government-run electric and transmission system instead of the current privately run model.
A “yes” or “no” question on moving forward with creating the Maine Pine Tree Power Company will be a part of the Nov. 7 ticket through a citizen-initiated ballot measure. The Legislature in May referred the measure to voters.
Two investor-owned utilities provide most of Maine’s complex electric and transmission system. Central Maine Power services 79.6% of all ratepayers, while Versant services 16.8%.
Talks of creating the Pine Tree Power Company gained steam within the Legislature in 2021. However, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills ultimately vetoed a bill passed in both chambers, citing concerns about inadequate public input and the methodology in crafting the bill.
Since the stalemate within state government, grassroots efforts have advanced the proposal further, most notably through an organization known as the Our Power Campaign. It submitted 80,000 signatures supporting the measure last fall, and the secretary of state confirmed 69,735 of the signatures as valid.
Former Rep. Seth Berry introduced the bill that would create Pine Tree in 2021, one year before he left office. The proposal, he said at the time, would differ in many ways from the current structure in place.
“The people of Maine will directly elect all voting members of the nonprofit Pine Tree Power Company board,” Berry, co-founder of Our Power, said in a statement at the time. “Board meetings will be fully public and transparent.”
More recently, Our Power representatives have urged lawmakers to adopt legislation that would cut rates from 10% to 15% without raising taxes to achieve the threshold. A bill, Legislative Document 699, was introduced this spring but has yet to gain traction.
“A group of unpaid, independent Maine economists from across the political spectrum have estimated at least $9 billion in net savings for Mainers if we replace CMP and Versant with the Pine Tree Power Company,” Sen. Nichole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, said in a statement.
There has been opposition to the proposed creation of Pine Tree from groups like the Maine Affordable Energy Coalition. Its organizers have taken aim at some of Our Power’s claims.
In a statement, Willy Ritch, executive director of the coalition, said the proposal would be mandatory for all Maine residents and result in one of the most significant uses of eminent domain in the state’s history.
“It’s important for Mainers to know that there is no free lunch,” Ritch said. “Seizing the utilities would put (ratepayers) on the hook for a $13.5 billion debt.”
