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March 16, 2011

Public advocate blasts CMP over meters

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Central Maine Power Co. is coming under fire from the Office of the Public Advocate for "bullying and intimidating" customers to install smart meters on their homes.

The public advocate's office filed a letter yesterday speaking out against the company's refusal to allow customers to opt out of smart-meter installations, according to The Forecaster. The office also submitted a letter to the Maine Public Utilities Commission that CMP sent to a customer that said "further action" could be taken if that person refused a smart meter. Hearings are under way in the PUC's investigation of CMP's smart-meter project following consumer complaints. The PUC will examine whether the company's no-opt-out approach is "unreasonable, insufficient or unjustly discriminatory." CMP spokesman John Carroll told the paper the company is allowing customers to opt out of smart-meter installations until the PUC reaches a decision.

In January, CMP officials told the PUC that allowing customers to keep their old meters is too expensive and would undermine the benefits of the new system. The wireless meters are intended to save both the utility and consumers money, but homeowners have complained about the meters' safety and health side effects.

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