RUTLAND, Vt. -
After months of debate a Vermont board approved a plan that merges Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service. It's a merger that former public service Commissioner David O'Brien says has been talked about for decades.
"Their foot print runs right next to each other," said O'Brien.
O'Brien served eight years as commissioner under Governor Jim Douglas' administration. During that time O'Brien came out against several popular plans, including closing Vermont Yankee.
And even though many of his fellow republicans don't support the GMP/CVPS merger, O'Brien does.
"The [Shumlin] administration and myself aren't of the same party, we're not, would not agree on probably a variety of things on the energy policy front, Vermont Yankee being one. That doesn't change the fact that this transaction is the right thing for the state," said O'Brien.
The deal doesn't give back CVPS customers $21-million dollars that was owed to them for bailing out the company more than a decade ago and instead puts that money into energy efficiency programs. O'Brien says he was surprised to see that portion of the plan get so much attention.
"If you're talking about $170 million dollars worth of benefits in reduced costs over time, you don't want to let $21 million dollars undo that," said O'Brien.
That $170-million dollars in savings is what O'Brien believes will win over Vermonters in a long run.
"10 years from now people will look back at this quite a bit differently," said O'Brien.
GMP says the two companies should become one before the end of the month and CVPS customers will see a change to their bills in July with the new logo.
But financially, GMP says it will take years before you, the customer, see the majority of the savings.
