The plan by Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, would require Central Maine Power and Emera Maine to sell all of their transmission and distribution assets to the proposed Maine Power Delivery Authority. Bill supporters said the authority would use low-interest revenue bonds to make the multi-billion dollar purchase, allowing the new consumer-owned utility to provide electricity to most Maine residents at lower rates than those charged by the two investor-owned utilities.

The proposal is, in part, a response to the controversies that have dogged CMP since an October 2017 windstorm left some customers without power for more than a week, as well as massive bill spikes reported by hundreds of customers.

“Maine people want and deserve a utility that will keep the costs down and the lights on and put its Maine customers and workers first,” said Berry, the co-chairman of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. “Our current utilities have failed us in every respect, with the clear exception of own consumer-owned utilities.”

CMP spokeswoman Catherine Hartnett said few details of Berry’s bill – which is still in the legislative drafting office – have been released but that the company has “strong concerns about the state seizing private property.” Hartnett questioned how the proposed authority would match the professional experience and on-the-ground knowledge of CMP workers.

“Every time it has come up before (in the Legislature), it has been rejected first of all because of the questionable benefits but also because of the constitutional issues,” said Hartnett.