PORTLAND (WGME) – Customers of Central Maine Power are taking their fight to court in a new lawsuit over winter disconnect notices.
Lawyers for the customers allege Central Maine Power Company deceived customers with false and misleading disconnect notices.
CMP is allowed to shut off service during the winter — but the company has to get the OK from state regulators.
The lawsuit alleges customers were never told that when CMP threatened to disconnect their power unless they paid past-due bills.
The case was filed on behalf of three customers who got the notices but the lawsuit says at least 1,000 customers received them.
The lawyers said customers felt extreme pressure to make payments based on the misleading statements from CMP.
“And this really cuts [to] the core of what people need to survive and particularly in a harsh Maine winter and this is serious stuff and so in addition to financial decisions, there’s a lot of distress,” he said.
CMP said it had not yet received a copy of the lawsuit.
The company said it has started an internal investigation and is cooperating as state regulators also investigate.
