Recent Storms Make Case For Consumer-owned Utilities

Within a day-and-a-half of the Oct. 17 nor’easter, the customers of Maine’s eight consumer-owned utilities had their power back. It took investor-owned utility Central Maine Power five days to hit the same benchmark. Our other investor-owned utility, Emera Maine, took four days. For customers and regulators, this difference matters. Large or small, each utility must maintain an adequate workforce and mutual-aid agreements to keep your power on if possible, or to restore it quickly if not. Maine’s consumer-owned utilities serve all or part of 97 Maine municipalities.