Granted, Central Maine Power had its hands full following Saturday’s unexpectedly severe storm, but a spokesman’s report, minimizing the remaining power outages in Harpswell in the Press Herald, shows how badly CMP’s PR division and operating department are out of sync.

Telling the paper that, “the remaining outages were on circuits delivering service to fewer customers” and that crews were working to restore service to customers “who live on peninsulas or single roads on circuits that deliver service to three or four customers” was pure fantasy.

Rather than circuits serving fewer customers, the CMP website reported most customers along Route 123, the town’s main road, south of Mountain Road were still without power as of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. Those without generators may be particularly annoyed that the company waited until after 7 p.m. Tuesday to change its restoration estimates from late Tuesday to Wednesday.

Clearly, CMP needs to do a better job of keeping customers informed if it wants to improve its credibility.

Arnie Besier
Harpswell