KENNEBEC JOURNAL • April 30, 2020
While a recent letter observed how quickly Madison Electric Works customers had their power back after the last storm, one should consider the source of that power: a CMP mobile substation. If CMP had as many lineworkers per customer to cover 11,000 square miles of territory as Madison Electric Works does to cover 186 square miles, we would need to hire 1,500 additional lineworkers and raise our residential rates by about 20%. Our customers would revolt against such inefficiency. Some allege that investor-owned utilities make more money by “neglecting prevention and focusing on big new transmission projects instead” and that they have “inadequate local staffing.” Nothing could be further from the truth. CMP has invested approximately $3.5 billion into system improvements over the past 10 years. ~ David Flanagan, executive chairman, and Doug Herling, president and CEO, Central Maine Power