PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Maine Public Utilities Commission will hold a public witness hearing Tuesday, May 1, in Presque Isle to hear from members of the public on Emera Maine’s proposed 12 percent rate increase.
The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s MMG Room, located in Kelley Commons. Parking is available in either the student/faculty lot behind Kelly Commons or in the visitor lot across the street from Kelly Commons.
Other hearings are scheduled at the same time in Orono and Machias. The commission will use the University of Maine Interactive Television System (ITV) so that the public from all three locations will be able to hear and see their fellow citizens provide input.
“We have found that the most productive public witness hearings occur when we have strong attendance and citizens hear what others have for comments or concerns,” stated Chairman Mark Vannoy. “Using the ITV technology will allow us the opportunity to hear from three different areas in Emera Maine’s territory.”
A PUC commissioner will attend at each location, as will commission staff and a transcriptionist.
In a public witness hearing, any member of the public may participate by providing sworn testimony, or they may present argument without being sworn; however, only sworn testimony becomes evidence in the case.
The public witness hearing transcript will be publicly available in the case file (Docket No. 2017-00198) which may be accessed via the commission’s case management system.
Emera Maine filed the proposed rate increase on Oct. 2, 2017, with the Maine PUC, asking that the company’s total revenue requirement for its distribution infrastructure and operations be increased to $93.8 million, a 12 percent percent increase.
The Commission currently expects to issue its decision in this case in June 2018.
