Dear Editor:

Will replacing Central Maine Power and Versant Power with Pine Tree Power, a Maine consumer-owned and operated electric utility, lower our monthly bills and accelerate our transition to renewable energy? Yes.

Is it true that no state funds or tax dollars will be used to purchase the existing grid? Yes.

Will Pine Tree Power save us over $9,000,000,000 in its first 30 years of operation? Yes.

Did CMP and Versant raise our rates by 20% this year? Yes.

Was CMP fined $700,000 for delaying our transition to solar power? Yes.

Did Maine rank last in the nation for frequency of power outages per customer in 2020? Yes.

Did CMP rank dead last in the 2022 J. D. Power Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction survey? Yes.

Did CMP and Versant make $187,000,000 in profit here last year, benefiting corporate shareholders in Spain, Qatar, Norway, and Canada? Yes.

Are customers of CMP and Versant far more likely to spend thousands of dollars to purchase a generator for frequent power outages than rate payers in other states? Yes.

Have the parent companies of CMP and Versant already spent nearly $30,000,000 to defeat the Pine Tree Power citizen initiative? Yes.

Has the Pine Tree Power initiative been endorsed by Natural Resources Council of Maine, Sierra Club, Maine State Nurses Association, Bill McKibben, Bernie Sanders, and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association? Yes.

Should we vote Yes on Ballot Question 3, this Nov. 7? Yes, indeed!

Bill Hammond

Barters Island

Boothbay