PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 22, 2023
The ads flooding the airwaves about the November referendum question on Pine Tree Power make it sound like there are two choices: Vote “yes” to take over Central Maine Power and Versant and form Pine Tree Power, or vote “no” and keep the status quo. Proponents claim that replacing CMP and Versant with Pine Tree Power will result in lower rates and higher reliability. Opponents of the referendum say that maintaining the status quo is the low-cost option for ratepayers of the future. Neither argument squares with reality. Many of our climate action goals involve our electric utilities. If the referendum passes, Maine faces years of uncertainty, which would delay grid modernization. If Pine Tree Power becomes operational, we would be worse off than we are now. I urge voters to reject the referendum, give regulation time to work and let your legislators know you are counting on them to continue to modernize our grid and better regulate our utilities. ~ Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York, member of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee and the Maine Climate Council; he worked in the electric utility and clean energy sectors for 45 years