PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine regulators plan to review customer utility accounts after thousands received excessively high electric bills.

The Office of the Public Advocate asked regulators on Monday to investigate Central Maine Power accounts after customers reported receiving bills 50% or more higher than the usual.

The Bangor Daily News reports the issue began when the power company started using a new customer billing system in October 2017, around the same time a major windstorm knocked out power to customers for up to a week.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has scheduled hearings in July about the ongoing complaints.

Central Maine Power spokeswoman Catharine Hartnett tells the newspaper that the utility welcomes the additional look into their system and hopes that answers will help it regain public trust.