The class action lawsuit filed against Central Maine Power July 19 expanded Aug. 15.

The court has made no decision on the proposed class. Cumberland County Superior Court said a decision may be a month away.

It could be the largest class action suit ever filed in Maine, since CMP customers would automatically be enlisted as members.

The complaint claims CMP trained customer service personnel to tell customers excessive use was caused by faulty wiring, appliances, or higher usage by customers, rather than the company’s “faulty metering and billing system.”

CMP spokesman Gail Rice denied CMP engaged in fraud, as the suit's lawyers claim. She said representatives give information on what might be causing higher bills, such as cold weather, faulty appliances or wiring, or other potential issues in the home, but she said calling that information fraud was an insult to the people who were “just doing their jobs.” Rice said, to date, according to the Public Utilities Commission investigation, there has been no evidence of issues with the billing or metering systems.

According to the Public Advocate’s office, 97,000 customers were billed at least 50 percent more than the previous year. Another 200,000 had bills greater than the previous year, but less than 50 percent higher.

Lawyer Sumner Lipman said he has proof employees were given instructions to blame customers for higher bills. He declined to name the representatives, saying he would fear for their jobs. The amended suit includes punitive damages, which Lipman said would be used to reimburse customers for costs such as having electricians and appliance repair workers look at their properties, if no problems were discovered.