Central Maine Power

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has ruled that Central Maine Power Co. acted in a discriminatory manner when it refused to grant a request by a large industrial customer, Yorketowne Paper Mills of Maine, to rate classes to time-of-use subtransmission.

The case was notable since the customer's employees had filed a complaint alleging improper denial of service and seeking reparation for overcharges. See, Yorketowne Paper Mills of Maine, et al. v. Central Maine Power Co., 170 PUR4th 535 (Me.P.U.C.1996).

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has decided to forgo a formal price-cap plan for Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. (BHE), an electric utility, finding that traditional regulation would better maintain the proper balance of shareholder and ratepayer interests. The PUC had approved a price-cap mechanism for Central Maine Power Co., another of the state's investor-owned electric utilities (see, Re Central Maine Power Co. 159 PUR4th 209 (Me.P.U.C.

The Maine Pubic Utilities Commission (PUC) has allowed Central Maine Power Co. to boost rates by 1.26 percent under an alternative rate plan approved in late 1994. The increase is based in part on an indicated inflation rate of 2.55 percent for the last quarter of 1996.

The PUC found considerable disagreement on whether the rates proposed by the utility would capture the full benefits from restructuring a number of the utility's purchased-power contracts with qualifying cogeneration facilities (QFs).

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has rejected a request by Central Maine Power Co. to suspend a proceeding to develop an interim competition transition charge.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has opened a docket to investigate how and to what extent it should regulate "energy-related products and services other than electric service" offered by Central Maine Power Co.

In lieu of price regulation, the utility had proposed setting prices to cover its marginal cost for

specific offerings, including: 1) inspection and maintenance of customer-owned substation facilities, 2) energy control systems and services, 3) construction of customer-owned pole lines, and 4) maintenance and repair of customer-owned lighting equ

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has agreed to hear a complaint by employees of an industrial customer of Central Maine Power Co. (CMP). The employees allege unfavorable pricing actions against their employer, Yorktowne Paper Mills, including denial of service at the requested voltage. The complaint asks for reparations for prior overcharges.

Charles Studness is not the type of person I would like to loan money to. I say this because if interest rates dropped in the future he would believe he was now entitled to borrow at the lower rates and not pay me what was owed.

In his latest diatribe against stranded-cost recovery ("Stranded-cost Recovery: It's Un-American," Financial News, July 15, 1996, p. 43), Studness tells us that recovery of stranded costs will keep Americans from purchasing electricity at the competitive price.

It certainly will; however, first all debts must be paid.

Schaefer measure wins praise from UtiliCorp, Enron, and others, but EEI wants relief on stranded costs."The Electricity Consumers Power to Choose Act," introduced by Rep. Dan Schaefer (R-CO), while designed to bring competition to the electric industry, has definitely attracted controversy. The bill has evoked strong reactions from industry players as well as intense lobbying efforts on the part of promoters and detractors. Everyone, it seems, wants to put in their two cents as the bill makes its way across Capitol Hill.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) (em prompted by an 18-month fight between a utility and a customer threatening to generate its own electricity (em decided on June 10 to keep the docket open in an exit-fee case. Ironically, the fight that brought the issue to the fore was resolved 10 days earlier: On May 31, Central Maine Power Co. (CMP) and Hannaford Bros. Co.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has declined as a general policy to require electric utilities that award a rate discount to an individual customer to offer the same discount to the customer's competitors.

The case involved Central Maine Power Co., which had negotiated a discount with Southern Container Corp. under its alternative rate plan. Union Camp Corp., a competitor in the corrugated box business, had then asked for a comparable discount, complaining of discrimination.