The Maine Public Utilities Commission ruled April 4, Central Maine Power cannot disconnect customers during the investigation into its metering, billing, and consumer service practices, if the customers meet a threshold.

CMP switched to a new billing system which coincided with the windstorm that also caused 40 percent of smart meters to fail in late October. The change made April 4 affects customers with a bill after Nov. 1 that is at least 25 percent higher than the bill for the previous year..

About 1,500 customers have reported high bills that do not seem to coincide with the customer’s reported usage and are at least 25 percent higher than the same billing cycle the year before.

The Public Advocate had requested that CMP not be able to disconnect anyone, but the PUC chose a slightly different system: Customers with a higher than 25 percent difference in delivery charges on bills after Nov. 1, 2017, won’t be required to pay the full amount CMP is demanding. Instead, according to PUC Chairman Mark Vannoy,  they will be required to pay the undisputed portion of the bill.

As long as the investigation continues, those customers will not be disconnected. CMP will send them a note informing them of the change.