P-Townie t1_j5q5pqq wrote
Reply to comment by guethlema in Powers out, generators broken, CMP is still assessing and I can’t have my coffee. How many are in same position. by dadoftwins04
Is there any evidence of that based on the experiences of the many consumer owned utilities in Maine and elsewhere?
guethlema t1_j5q9sw5 wrote
The evidence for cost of delivery in Maine, and across the nation, directly correlates to the number of trees, the distance of overhead wires, and the number of customers. I don't have the PowerPoint with me but I'm sure you can find similar data from across the country that shows this information. Maine's consumer owned utilities are in more densely packed regions of the state, or in areas (I think Van Buren has one?) Where the number of trees are fewer due to agriculture uses.
The evidence for ability to respond to down times is basic logic which applies to anyone with experience working for very large companies and very small companies, and a point that line workers have made throughout this debate. It's a lot easier to react to emergencies when you have a bigger pool of people who's job it is to react to those emergencies.
P-Townie t1_j5qyod8 wrote
> The evidence for ability to respond to down times is basic logic
Logic is not evidence; it's just the basis of hypotheses. Anyway, if we take over CMP Connecticut and the rest of the country can follow our lead. What's illogical is organizing society's needs based on private ownership and profit.
guethlema t1_j5r5l1e wrote
"Do you like private ownership or not" is the real question that people will be asked when they vote in November, as well as "are you pissed at CMP?"
As we push forward, the reality is the bill is probably going to pass. These questions do not deal with the reality that switching management and ownership may not have all the positive impacts we are hoping for due to the fact power so difficult to deliver in a rural state.
While I'm not trying to nay-say the transfer of power, what is lacking from the conversation is an earnest discussion of what the benefits of switching to consumer owned really will be, how long the transition will be, where there are real concerns etc. etc. etc. so that the transition can be as helpful as possible to consumers.
manual84 t1_j5ttwbm wrote
I hate that these ballot issues get turned into emotional ones "are you mad at CMP?" is how people will vote which should be irrelevant. Also, quite frankly, I have a feeling most Mainers don't give a shit whether or not they own the means of production. Most people just want to see lower rates at the end of the day. Is Pine Tree Power gonna give us that? I don't feel optimistic about it, personally, and I think everyone underestimates the total cost as well as the time the transfer will take, as there's a 100% chance it will end up in the courts. It kind of feels like a lose lose situation all around which makes me feel like our best bet is trying to get the PUC to be a little more functional as a regulatory body so that we can work with CMP to keep things working for everyone. But I am probably alone in this and can now look forward to people yelling at me for being some CMP shill or something. Which brings me back to my first point... we have got to remove our emotions from the equation and think logically and practically. Not that that will EVER happen, but it sure would be nice.
guethlema t1_j5tumyz wrote
Right??? It's like how fucking dare you have a functioning understanding of our government and request the public utilities commission do it's job instead of screaming into the sky about having a co-operative owned by 1.5M people - especially when this is a purple state and the results of removing a nonpartisan commission of professionals would be catastrophic if we went through 4-12 years of far-right ruling to completely defund the grid (looking at you, Texas).
It's like saying the only option to cleaning out a messy garage is to burn it down and build new.
manual84 t1_j5tv4fh wrote
Couldn't have said it better myself. And you make a great point about the purpleness of this state. I love the idea of revolution, of trying something new in theory... but in practice? People need to get real. Let's organize the garage.
P-Townie t1_j5r7r4w wrote
> what the benefits of switching to consumer owned really will be
We will have more control.
Every other benefit can come from that.
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