Audit Hydro’s books

I wish to compliment your paper on its excellent coverage of the ongoing crisis at Bangor Hydro-Electric Co.

As a resident of Surry, I filed a complaint with the Public Utilities Commission under Docket No. 96-245 on April 2, 1996 requesting their intervention on our behalf. The complaint stated that we were having many and prolonged power outages and severe surges that resulted in property damage. As the intervening years progressed and legal meetings, reams of correspondence and thousands of dollars were spent, the complaint was finally closed in June 2001, thus ending one of the longest files in PUC history.

There is a national standard for the utility industry, which all companies have agreed to abide by in the delivery of electricity. This standard is made up of many stipulations for measuring the success or failure of power companies. The bottom line is, how long does your power stay on per month and is it safe and affordable?

The Rural National Standard allows for two hours of outage per month. This is reasonable to expect particularly in coastal areas like Surry. The record shows a totally different picture. In 1995 the Surry circuit had 41.85 hours of outage for the year, followed by 37.78 hours in 1996, 14.50 hours in 1997, 5.75 hours in 1998, 10.38 hours in 1999, 10.20 hours in 2000, 19.47 hours in 2001 and 23.84 hours year to date 2002 for three months. This date excludes the major ice storm of 1998. At 17 cents per kilowatt-hour it’s not affordable.

The current reorganization at Bangor Hydro will make matters worse, due to the elimination of linemen and other key personnel. The proposed audit of this company’s books by an independent firm under the auspices of the PUC should take place forthwith, especially before the next rate increase.

R. Thompson

Surry