BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 11, 2023
Since 2018 residential supply rates have more than doubled from 7.85 to 17.63 cents per kilowatt hour. During the same period many solar panels and wind turbines have been installed, supposedly to save Maine ratepayers costs and improve the environment. Neither has occurred. We can thank the Legislature for breaking up our two utilities at the behest of former Govs. King and Baldacci for the expedited wind law. Now Gov. Janet Mills wants to continue the damage with offshore wind. Instead of approving a potentially $13.5 billion bond issue creating a self-serving public boondoggle, Pine Tree Power, let’s buy every power dam sold since 1999. Wall Street investment geniuses can repackage the entity and pay Maine back plus a profit. Also, when the New England Clean Energy Connect wins their court case, let’s string a more power lines for Maine and require Massachusetts to pay for that as well. This would eliminate the need to wreck Aroostook County with power lines, windmills and solar panels. These so-called alternative energy policies were sold to us as valid energy saving and environmental saviors, but they have failed miserably. ~ Dudley Gray, Rangeley Plantation