PORTLAND, Maine — Central Maine Power is once again asking the state of Maine to approve a rate increase, and officials are not happy about it.

CMP’s spending plan would cost about $1.4 billion over the next five years if it's approved. State officials and rate payers have been quick to criticize CMP’s plan, but the utility company says the cost is reasonable, and some customers agree.

CMP spokesperson Jon Breed says Maine has seen four storms in the past two years that are on the same scale as the infamous 1998 ice storm. As these storms grow more frequent due to climate change, Breed says CMP is looking to modernize its electrical grid.

“We need to make investments to harden the grid so that we can keep the power on during those major events and also get the costs of those down as we

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