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Regulators Investigating Complaints About CMP Billing Errors

State utility regulators are launching an inquiry into complaints about billing errors Central Maine Power customers say started to surface late last year.

Public Utilities Commission member Bruce Williamson says CMP’s error-prone rollout of a new billing system coincided with outages in the wake of the late October windstorm, creating an unhappy combination.

“Toss in several weeks of very cold weather and increased usage that will naturally occur, and the confusion about what the observed bill increases might mean grows in intensity. In short and in retrospect customers have had the unpleasant experience of receiving poor customer care when they needed it most,” he says.

Public Utilities Commission Chairman Mark Vannoy says many complaints have already been resolved, but a full investigation is still warranted and CMP held accountable for any systemic problems. A CMP spokeswoman says the company will cooperate with the inquiry, and expects a speedy resolution.

A Columbia University graduate, Fred began his journalism career as a print reporter in Vermont, then came to Maine Public in 2001 as its political reporter, as well as serving as a host for a variety of Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television programs. Fred later went on to become news director for New England Public Radio in Western Massachusetts and worked as a freelancer for National Public Radio and a number of regional public radio stations, including WBUR in Boston and NHPR in New Hampshire.