TIMES RECORD • October 24, 2022
Douglas Rooks’ argument against Pine Tree Power rests on two core inaccuracies. First, he contends that “Figuring out how this would actually work – there’s nothing like it elsewhere – can provoke queasiness.” On the contrary, America has a great deal of successful experience with consumer-owned utilities. Second, Rooks naively accepts Central Maine Power’s grossly inflated $13 billion estimate of the cost of acquiring its assets. The actual acquisition cost, to be established by independent auditors, is likely a fraction of that. Maine must “go big” to reach its climate goals, and a consumer owned utility should be at the heart of our strategy. ~ David Vail, Professor of Economics emeritus, Bowdoin College, Brunswick