PUC declines to reinstate power shutoff moratorium despite request from dozens of lawmakers

Over 70 state lawmakers have signed onto a letter sent to the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) urging that a moratorium on power disconnections enacted in March but ended in November be reinstated. However, in a response to the legislators sent Wednesday morning, the PUC declined to bring back the moratorium.

The letter from legislators was originally sent Friday to the PUC with more than 50 lawmakers signing on. Since then, additional legislators have added their names to the letter, which was signed by lawmakers from both major parties as well as by some independents.

The letter requests that the same moratorium enacted in March, which prevented shutoffs for both residential and commercial customers, be reinstated immediately and remain in place for at least 120 days.

In the letter, lawmakers reference the increased number of unemployed Mainers and the large amount of small businesses that have closed along with the state’s rising COVID-19 caseload in arguing for the moratorium.

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/dozens-of-state-lawmakers-urge-puc-to-reinstate-moratorium-on-power-shutoffs/