AUGUSTA — Officials from Lewiston testified Wednesday in support of legislation that would require power companies to inform landlords if a tenant’s electricity is about to be shut off.

They cited last summer’s tragic death of 9-year-old Taylor McQueeney in a fire as evidence that the status quo is unacceptable. The fire, which took place in Lewiston’s Little Canada, was caused by a candle being used to light an apartment where the electricity — unknown to the landlord — had been disconnected.

“This was not a public safety concern that was on anyone’s radar until the fires,” said Phil Nadeau, Lewiston’s deputy city administrator.

At least two apartment fires in the city last summer were caused by the electricity being shut off, Nadeau told members of the Utilities and Energy Committee during the public hearing for the bill sponsored by state Rep. Herb Adams, D-Portland.

State Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, said the legislation is necessary to prevent further tragedies.

“This bill will make it mandatory to tell landlords that the power is being shut off and will also provide payment options to tenants, something that also may have allowed the power to stay on in the apartment and saved Taylor McQueeney,” she said. “With such a tragedy in my district, I feel very strongly about this issue.”

State Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, said Adams’ bill strikes the appropriate balance between people’s privacy and addressing public safety.

“It’s a very elegant solution for addressing a very serious problem,” Rotundo said.

Also supporting the bill was Richard Davies, Maine’s Public Advocate.

But others cited concerns with the specifics of how the bill was drafted. Adams said he would like to create a working group with all of the stakeholders — landlords, electric companies and lawmakers — to find an acceptable solution.

All of those who testified against the measure, as well as those who were neither for nor against it, said they would be willing to work as a group to address the situation.

David Allen, a representative of Central Maine Power Co., said CMP sent out about 600,000 disconnection notices last year, about 220,000 of which went to rental units. Only 27,000 units were actually disconnected, he said.

“CMP may not know which accounts are rental accounts,” Allen said. “We also may not know who owns or manages a particular building. It shouldn’t be CMP’s responsibility to obtain and update that information.”

Nadeau, the Lewiston city official, said the stakes for non-action are high.

“Who’s willing to take the responsibility for what might occur if we do nothing?” he asked.

The committee will schedule a work session for the legislation in the coming weeks.

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