PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 11, 2026
In 1997, Maine enacted legislation restructuring the state’s electricity industry. Beginning in March 2000, consumers could choose among competing electricity suppliers, while utilities such as CMP continued to deliver the electricity. The premise was straightforward: Competition would provide more choices and encourage lower prices. More than a quarter-century later, it’s worth asking whether that experiment has delivered the promised benefits. Maine should reconsider whether its current system of residential electricity competition is delivering sufficient benefits to justify its complexity. I hope this becomes a priority of the next Legislature. ~ Bill Webster, Georgetown