Submitted by Zippykalzoo t3_zvqdao in Maine
KermitThrush t1_j1qozro wrote
For the last three years JD Powers and associates annual survey has ranked both CMP and Versant Power at the very bottom.
Both of these privately owned for-profit utility companies have increased rates faster over the last several years than in any other time in Maines history, increasing their profits 4x, while the quality of their service is literally the worst in the nation.
These are corrupt and incompetent corporations that only care about extracting as much wealth from Maine as possible and care nothing for their customers.
There are many articles detailing their long history of corruption. Here is just one:
Vote for the Pine tree State power initiative ballit measure in 2023 and vote these criminals out of our power grid!
In case you need a short lesson on how the corruption within for profit utility companies typically works here’s a good segment from last week tonight on the issue:
Of course there are other even more blatant types of corruption, like political bribery, and I’m sure CMP engages in that as well.
ZingZongZaddy t1_j1qrdme wrote
I hate CMP as much as the next guy, but you may want to look up the Public Utilities Commission, my dude. These recent hikes? Not CMP's doing.
KermitThrush t1_j1qz3gx wrote
All rate hikes must be first requested by CMP and/or Versant
They then use their vast wealth and political capital to pressure the PUC into passing them
ZingZongZaddy t1_j1qzq2k wrote
And as posted below me, take that up with the state government. The governor hand picks the commissioners.
CMP handles delivery. They do not benefit from your supply rate going up.
KermitThrush t1_j1r08f6 wrote
With a little bit of artful financial accounting it’s very easy for them to benefit from the supply rate going up and they also benefit from the delivery rates going up which have also risen dramatically over the past several years.
Both CMP and Versant Power in fact currently have proposed hikes in their delivery rates before the PUC.
These two corporations are incredibly corrupt and they actively corrupt our government in their own interests.
Vote for the pine tree State powers initiative in 2023!
ZingZongZaddy t1_j1r17of wrote
FYI the delivery rates went down in 2022, from $14.20 for the first 50kWh to $13.73, and $0.94 to $0.88 for excess.
No one is arguing the companies aren't corrupt but you're muddling the argument with your histrionics and misinformation. This is why we can't have nice things.
Mainer2727 t1_j1uvuzi wrote
While you are busy promoting Pine Tree's initiative by pushing false information and emotion-fueled posts, others are sticking with the facts. CMP isn't perfect, but I'm certainly grateful for their consistent efforts during storms and the thought of a utility takeover is downright terrifying for a lot of reasons.
You call out everyone on here who is invested in our fight against climate change and accuse people of being a corporate "shrill," but you are by far the most vocal supporter of Our Power. So who is getting paid??
KermitThrush t1_j1v1kpx wrote
Your account has -4 karma and all of your comments are in support of CMP
My account is the genuine account of a tax paying and voting Maine Citizen
It’s a typical tactic of corporate crooks to accuse their opponents of spreading the type of disinformation that they themselves are spreading
And it’s laughable that you would suggest that CMP or versant have any interest at all in opposing climate change because they certainly do not. Their only interest is in their own profit.
Every time that you make a comment with one of the corporate sock puppet shill accounts that you have created you only encourage Maine citizens on Reddit to give even more support to the Pine tree State power initiative ballot measure.
manual84 t1_j1vn71r wrote
Normal taxpaying Mainer here... not sure this is the right place to argue politics or try to change minds but I spend most of my time on Reddit on snark pages so who am I to talk. Just want to offer a different perspective, which is that I don't think CMP is perfect but I also don't think the Pine Tree Power plan is written in a way that's gonna deliver what they're promising. I also worry it's gonna just take too long (not to mention eventual litigation) and cost too damn much and by the time all is said an down we'll be mired in bills that are the same as today AND we'll still be wading in the mess of fossil fuels while the planet crumbles further. Not suggesting I have a better solution either, but wanted to offer my perspective.
New_Sun6390 t1_j1slm4e wrote
Is that you, Seth? Or is it one of Seth's minions? Delivery rate actally has NOT gone up dramatically.
Sad that you feel the need to lie to further your personal agenda.
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1tcs3n wrote
Sounds very much like Seth. He's Obsethed with taking down CMP even if he has to spread misinformation to seize our utilities. He has consistently blocked and deleted commenters from his personal page and the Our Power page. What a loose cannon. Enough with the lies Seth.
KermitThrush t1_j1usdth wrote
Anyone can see the history of your account.
Every single comment made by your account has been made in support of these private utility companies.
You are a corporate shill.
I have no doubt that CMP and/or Versant are paying you to do this.
Your account is an example of the type of sleazy media efforts that these corrupt utility companies will pour their money into to oppose this peoples referendum
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1vslc4 wrote
You are gravely mistaken. I don't frequent reddit for much but I will continue to call out this proposed takeover of the grid as it is a horrible deal for Maine.
LiteratureDapper2935 t1_j1u6nw6 wrote
And yet their profits have quadrupled in the past 6 yrs alone...
Derstilweedndat t1_j1r71ic wrote
>All rate hikes must be first requested by CMP and/or Versant
Not on the supply side, they don't request those hikes because they don't get the money
[deleted] t1_j1rsa5y wrote
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Weird-Tomorrow-9829 t1_j1s9fq9 wrote
I don’t think people understand how much of NEPOOL is gas generation. Or in periods of high demand: more expensive oil.
stootboot t1_j1scv25 wrote
Mainers voted down the influx of existing Canadian hydro when we killed the corridor. Was a huge amount of power available to the regional grid that all current producers would have to compete with.
6byfour t1_j1sdict wrote
Yup. And NH before them, driven primarily by people who don’t have to live with the consequences.
KermitThrush t1_j1ussn3 wrote
None of the energy from the proposed power cord or will ever go to Maine
It’s all intended to be sold to Massachusetts
Your point is a false corporate talking point
stootboot t1_j1w8vw4 wrote
I didn’t assert any energy would be going to Maine.
The energy the hydro offsets on the grid becomes increased supply for the grid. This increased supply can offset along the grid and then bring along a lowering of cost as the remaining producers compete for share.
Primary funding against the corridor was the current energy providers, including NextEra. Corporation’s benefited with either decision for or against the corridor.
hike_me t1_j203jde wrote
Recent supply price increases are due to natural gas supply constraints and demand induced natural gas price increases. Offsetting natural gas power in Massachusetts would help supply prices for the entire New England region.
Ok_W0W t1_j1v07xr wrote
No they don’t, not in the supply side. It’s the state run standard offer.
[deleted] t1_j1v15dx wrote
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[deleted] t1_j1uvsp9 wrote
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Ok_W0W t1_j1v00zf wrote
Untrue.
KermitThrush t1_j1v2qv6 wrote
Oh look another corporate shill account with zero karma and almost all the comments in their history are promoting the interest of CMP
You do understand that we can see the history of all the sock puppet accounts you are creating right?
Your transparently corrupt corporate shill efforts to sway Maine citizens opinions Will only result in even more Mainers opposing CMP and voting in support of the pines tree state power initiative ballot measure.
Ok_W0W t1_j1v4bt8 wrote
Not sure why disagreeing with you make me a “corporate shrill.” And sorry Reddit isn’t my entire life and I don’t have such an awesome commenting history and wonderful (and made up) Karma score, as your account that is about 100 days older than mine.
But, go ahead resort to name calling when someone brings up facts you don’t like. I won’t apologize for speaking out on an issue that I am interested in.
I think PTP’s plan is not well thought out and I think it will cost Mainers and that rates will rise.
Not sure why that evokes such an emotional response for you. Others seem perfectly capable of talking about the facts without calling names.
KermitThrush t1_j1v4q4x wrote
Your account has -2 karma and zero posts and every single comment on it is defending CMP.
I encourage everyone reading this post to check your account history for themselves.
Disagreeing with me doesn’t make you a corporate shill, BEING a blatant and obvious corporate shill account is what makes you a corporate shill.
You’re doing such a horrible job on Reddit promoting the interests of CMP that if I was your paymaster at CMP I would fire you immediately
indyaj t1_j1qxi12 wrote
True story. Talk to Janet Mills about this. Especially make noise about the recent extended outages because, make no mistake, we're paying for that in a the form of a rate hike. Make the state pay for it. Yeah yeah, our taxes but at least it won't make our power bills go up.
[deleted] t1_j1rrw4y wrote
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PatsFreak101 t1_j1qpw90 wrote
I’m tired of paying for Spanish billionaires every time I turn a light on.
6byfour t1_j1rsn97 wrote
Why? Would you rather pay a billionaire from MA?
magicmonkeymeat t1_j1sunn0 wrote
Yes
6byfour t1_j1teijo wrote
I just watched that. He had some odd mistakes in the segment. Like when he was talking about rate base, he was correct and that’s a huge driver of your distribution rate. But then, either out of ignorance or a desire to sensationalize, he said that no maintenance was being done because utilities weren’t incentivized to do it. That’s almost never true - utilities regularly put maintenance into rate base.
His solar commentary wouldn’t apply to any utility in a deregulated market read: Maine. CMP does not generate power and would have no reason to build a power plant.
He also discussed 3 examples of political corruption. None of the 3 were in Maine.
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1tdqs0 wrote
Pine Tree Power would cost Mainers $13.5 billion dollars just for the pole and wires. Thanks but I'll stick with the experts who just restored power to nearly half a million customers in less than four days.
KermitThrush t1_j1uru08 wrote
Anyone can see the history of your account.
Every single comment made by your account has been made in support of these private utility companies.
You are a corporate shill.
I have no doubt that CMP and/or Versant are paying you to do this.
Your account is an example of the type of sleazy media efforts that these corrupt utility companies will pour their money into to oppose this peoples referendum
Carleton_Willard t1_j1uvr5q wrote
Maine utilities have some things to work on, and credit where credit is due they have fixed many issues in recent years. With that said your post is just not true or fair. Our utilities did not request or benefit from recent rate increases. Supply is gouging us and we need to regulate and hold them accountable. A consumer owned utility will face the exact same increases we are seeing now...spending $14B to purchase what's not for sale solves absolutely nothing.
KermitThrush t1_j1v0ssc wrote
Oh look! Another paid for shill corporate account Created only to promote the interest of these corrupt for-profit utility companies.
Your account has only one karma and all of your comments are defending CMP and Versant.
You understand that we all can see your account history right?
How do you feel about yourself being paid to spread disinformation on behalf of sleazy companies that are gouging consumers?
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1vswc0 wrote
How much is Our Power paying you to spread this misinformation? This government-led takeover would cost us over $13 billion dollars. We are not a rich state.
Ok_W0W t1_j1uzym1 wrote
CMP/Versant is not responsible for the huge rate increases recently. That’s all on the supply side. For example, NextEra, Hugh natural gas company, fought against the corridor and then got a huge 120% increase on the supply side. It had nothing to do with CMP/Versant.
Also, that JD power study is super flawed. They are not “literally the last in the nation” because it doesn’t cover all utilities. Plus, the questions are flawed, it’s pretty misleading.
But, the most important thing is that PTP just complains about CMP/Versant but can’t claim It will lower rates as rates will likely rise.
KermitThrush t1_j1v2i2b wrote
Oh look another corporate shill account with zero karma and almost all the comments in their history are promoting the interest of CMP
You do understand that we can see the history of all the sock puppet accounts you are creating right?
Your transparently corrupt corporate shill efforts to sway Maine citizens opinions Will only result in even more Mainers opposing CMP and voting in support of the pines tree state power initiative ballot measure.
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1vt35u wrote
Look folks, an Our Power bot. This person continues to copy and paste the same response up and down the thread. This is what Our Power has resorted to. They consistently block and delete comments from their social media and then call anyone opposed to this takeover a "corporate shill."
New_Sun6390 t1_j1sk310 wrote
The person pushing the Pine Tree Power proposal is as corrupt as anyone. He is also ignorant about the costs and challenges involved with running a grid.
$13.5 billion, people. And that is just the cost of acquiring the infrastrcture. Does not even take into account the cost to hire a FOR PROFIT company to operate the grid since the politicians pushing this don't know how.
Not to mention the loss of millions in property tax revenues taking all that I frastructure off the tax rolls.
Professional_Box8312 t1_j1td58b wrote
Seth Berry is the one behind this seizure of our utilities. He continues to spew misinformation aimed at getting the general public in a tizzy over CMP/Versant. They did an absolutely stellar job during this past storm and Seth is feeling the pressure to take them down a few pegs when they couldn't have responded any better.
I received five emails from CMP over the weekend keeping me updated about the storm response. Somehow Seth believes his $13.5 billion dollar pet project for government-power will function better than this. He's sorely mistaken and Mainers see through this.
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