AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A Maine regulatory commission has rejected a proposal from a Canadian company to buy one of the most important utilities in the state.

ENMAX of Calgary, Alberta, wants to buy Emera Maine from its Nova Scotia-based parent company for about $1 billion.

Emera has more than 150,000 customers and serves the northern and eastern parts of Maine.

But the Maine Public Utilities Commission voted 2 to 1 against the proposal on Thursday.

The Bangor Daily News reports the commission cited risks to ratepayers, one of which was whether the purchase would make system upgrades less likely.