CMP Wants Customers To Pay For Those They Didn’t Charge For Months

Shorthanded, the company reportedly didn't have the manpower to sign up thousands of new accounts.

First reported in the Portland Press Herald, Central Maine Power said it hasn’t kept a tally of the uncollected bills and would like to shift the lost revenue to other customers under a revenue stabilization procedure in place with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. However, this won't be CMP's call. The PUC has stated that the commission, not CMP, will make that call if the state's ratepayers, should pick up the tab.

According to the Press Herald, the revenue stabilization procedure allows CMP to charge a higher rate if revenues fall below an agreed-upon benchmark. CMP spokeswoman Catherine Hartnett told the Press Herald the company might shift the cost of the unbilled electricity to ratepayers under that plan if those expenses cause the company to miss this year’s revenue target. However, the company will abide by whatever decision the commission makes.

CMP is already in hot water over high bills it sent, after they switched to a new billing system in October 2017. They are currently being audited, according to the Press Herald.

No word on how much electricity was used, but should be tracked by CMP's "smart meters."