State Rep. Seth Berry (D-Bowdoinham) said he is seeking public input on his proposal to buy out the state’s investor-owned electric grid and replace it with a consumer-owned utility. 

The Maine legislature’s Energy Committee held a work session on Thursday during which they voted to table LD 1646 until the next work session. They also discussed a proposal put forth by Berry to create a small stakeholder taskforce that would study the potential impact of creating a consumer-owned utility before the legislature votes next year on the legislation. 

The taskforce would be comprised of industry experts and ratepayers, who Berry said would better advise lawmakers next year on the need for a consumer-owned utility, and how that transition might best take place. 

“It is important that lawmakers and the governor can vote on it in January with better information. This way they can feel like the homework has been done and it’s not just my idea,” he said.   

Berry said he “could not be more pleased with the popular support” the bill has received so far and said he would like greater public input on what questions the taskforce should be investigating. He is encouraging people to contact him directly with their feedback. 

Taking on CMP and Emera 

Berry’s legislation, LD 1646, takes on the state’s two biggest energy utilities, Central Maine Power and Emera Maine. If passed, it would establish the Maine Power Delivery Authority, which would purchase the power transmission and distribution assets owned by the two energy firms at market value through revenue bonds. 

Berry says it would operate like the Nebraska Public Power District and local consumer-owned utilities like Kennebunk Light and Power, Madison Electric Works, and Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative in Calais. Rather than being beholden to CMP’s international investors, he says the utility would be solely responsible to Maine ratepayers. 

The taskforce will be charged with studying how much Maine ratepayers stand to save after the private utilities are bought, as well as other potential benefits, such as overall responsiveness and greenhouse gas reductions. The American Public Power Association puts the average savings for customers of public utilities compared to investor-owned utilities at 15 percent. 

The taskforce would also look into the logistics of making the transition, including investigating how the private companies’ staff could be retained. 

On Thursday, both Democrats and Republicans on the Energy Committee expressed support for the taskforce. 

“It’s a big, bold, exciting, complicated idea,” state Rep. Vicki Doudera (D-Camden) said. “It’s the smart move to take it step by step.” 

“I think it’s also going to be important not only for this committee, but for the public, should we move forward, that this taskforce be somewhat balanced, having an independent person there to help guide them,” state Rep. Steven Foster (R-Dexter) said. 

“This is how we can get the utmost confidence from the public in moving forward, so I support it,” said state Rep. Chris Kessler (D-South Portland). 

‘Heightened awareness on this issue’ 

Berry said that since he introduced his ambitious proposal in February he has already seen the conversation around Maine’s privately-owned power grid shift. 

“The grassroots are super fired up. [In the State House] it’s also raised a lot of questions like, ‘Hey, wait, why do we have this investor-owned model?’” he said. “I think there’s now a heightened awareness on this issue. I’m very pleased with that.” 

Berry, who is the House chair of the Energy Committee, serving his sixth non-consecutive term, says that the increased public scrutiny on CMP as a result of his consumer-owned utility bill, as well as the controversial Hydro-Quebec corridor proposal, has already produced results. Those include CMP supporting solar net metering legislation after lobbying against solar legislation in previous years, as well as their agreeing to add additional staff after a protracted hiring freeze. 

“It’s moving other bills forward,” Berry said. “It’s helping in other policy areas.” 

The preceding originally appeared on mainebeacon.com, a website and podcast created by progressive group the Maine People’s Alliance.