PORTLAND, Maine - Some Central Maine Power customers are organizing a class action lawsuit against the utility concerning high power bills experienced last winter.
CMP Ratepayers Unite said in a statement Monday attorneys representing the group had retained a New York-based firm to help prepare the suit. The Portland Press Herald reports over 1,000 customers saw high winter power bills during the same period the utility company had billing system problems.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission launched an investigation into the company on March 20. CMP resisted Public Advocate Barry Hobbins' request to make confidential documents related to the power bills available to the public.
CMP contends that releasing confidential documents would be burdensome because the utility would have to redact sensitive information.
CMP Ratepayers Unite didn't say when they would file the suit.
This story is a new version of one published May 29, in which The Associated Press reported that Central Maine Power denied a public advocate's request for confidential documents related to power bills. The advocate's request was for the documents to be released to the public. He already had access to the documents.