The proposed takeover of two investor-owned utilities that distribute 97% of electricity in the state would mark the first time a U.S. state's utilities were forcibly removed at the same timeMainers are poised to vote Tuesday on an unprecedented plan to rid themselves of the state's two largest electric utilities and start with a clean slate.
Supporters say there’s little to lose: Both investor-owned utilities rank near the bottom in customer satisfaction, with longer-than-average response to power outages and higher-than-average electricity rates. Harwood is taking no position on the proposal, but his office’s assessment points out uncertainties, the biggest being the inevitable legal battle over the valuation given “utility assets are infrequently bought and sold.”
There are no guarantees that changing ownership will solve problems, said Jacobs, who's skeptical of Maine's referendum. He suggested people should focus on tackling problems instead of demanding new ownership.