Opinion: Maine’s PUC needs to make CMP earn its rate increase

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 22, 2026

Yet again, Central Maine Power is before the Maine Public Utilities Commission seeking a rate increase. Take a hard look at whether CMP has earned the right to more ratepayer money. From 2016 to 2024, Maine ranked in the bottom five states for the number of outages experienced by its customers and finished worst in the nation in six out of those nine years when major outage events are included. In all but one of those nine years, Maine ranked among the eight worst states for total duration of outages. Maine rarely faces hurricanes, tornadoes, significant flooding or earthquakes. The weather excuse does not explain away nine years of being among the worst in the nation. The focus of the company has shifted from reliable and economic service to Mainers toward generating returns for its foreign parent. It is time for the PUC to hold CMP accountable, demand real performance and ensure that any new ratepayer dollars are invested efficiently and in the public interest. ~ Bill Dunn, retired electric power industry consultant, Yarmouth