The Office of the Public Advocate filed a response Friday calling the investigation into problems with Central Maine Power's billing and metering "incomplete" and urging a "full and robust" investigation. The audit was conducted by Liberty Consulting Group after CMP customers complained of skyrocketing bills last winter. According to the OPA, the Liberty Report "makes clear that the problems that resulted from CMP’s implementation of the SmartCare system were numerous, far-reaching, and serious for thousands of CMP’s customers" and require further investigation. Among the issues with the Liberty Report, the OPA notes that it is not clear whether Liberty tested the new billing system itself and does not address that customer complaints are still common. The OPA says one customer reported receiving bills ranging from $26 a month to $1,000 a month, while another said he had not received a monthly bill from CMP in a year. The OPA is calling for a public hearing and a new, follow-up investigation into CMP's metering, billing and customer service issues.

The Office of the Public Advocate filed a response Friday calling the investigation into problems with Central Maine Power's billing and metering "incomplete" and urging a "full and robust" investigation.

The audit was conducted by Liberty Consulting Group after CMP customers complained of skyrocketing bills last winter.


According to the OPA, the Liberty Report "makes clear that the problems that resulted from CMP’s implementation of the SmartCare system were numerous, far-reaching, and serious for thousands of CMP’s customers" and require further investigation.

Among the issues with the Liberty Report, the OPA notes that it is not clear whether Liberty tested the new billing system itself and does not address that customer complaints are still common.

The OPA says one customer reported receiving bills ranging from $26 a month to $1,000 a month, while another said he had not received a monthly bill from CMP in a year.

The OPA is calling for a public hearing and a new, follow-up investigation into CMP's metering, billing and customer service issues.