BUCKFIELD — Interim Town Manager Bradley Plante has filed a complaint with the Maine Public Utilities Commission against Central Maine Power after the electric company threatened to shut off power to the town’s Fire and Rescue building last month.
According to Plante, a CMP worker arrived June 30 to shut off the power for nonpayment of its bill. The check, however had been mailed June 9 for a bill due June 14, Plante said.
Officials convinced CMP to hold off until 4 p.m. so the town could investigate the matter. Plante said CMP was claiming that it had never received the check. Also, no disconnect notice was ever sent to the town, he said.
To avoid disconnection, Buckfield was forced to make an electronic payment.
The following day, the town received a letter from CMP with the check enclosed, the same one CMP said it never received, Plante said. The check was returned because it did not contain the account number.
“We normally use invoice numbers, and all the other checks sent for our other accounts went through no problem,” Plante said. “It’s hard to believe CMP would shut down a critical public safety facility with no notice and due to an error on their part.”
A spokeswoman with the Maine PUC confirmed the complaint had been filed with its Consumer Assistance Division and is investigating.
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