MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
If Question 3 passes, Pine Tree Power will take over the 28,000 miles of transmission lines and other assets of CMP and Versant’s power delivery business, create an elected and appointed board of overseers, and hire a third-party operator to keep the electricity flowing to Maine homes and businesses. But questions around the cost and legality of the takeover, the experience of the new board and new delivery operator, the timeline, and the veracity of promises of lower cost and more reliable power have sown confusion. Opponents say it would cost $13.5 billion. Supporters say the cost would be half that. Supporters say the board would bring decision-making back to Maine. Critics question whether those elected to the board would be qualified to oversee an electric utility. The state’s public advocate estimates that legal challenges could take from five to 10 years to resolve.