AUGUSTA (WGME) – A bill aiming to crack down on illegal cannabis grows in Maine will likely need more work before it heads to the full legislature.

The measure would track “suspicious activity” based on a building’s electrical output.

If passed, a permit would be required to install or upgrade electrical service to a total of 300 amperes or more in a residential building.

It also encourages the reporting of suspicious activity, including a month-to-month increase in power consumption greater than 500 percent at a residence.

The bill was proposed by Senator David Haggan (R-Penobscot).

“While law enforcement is doing all it can to crack down on these illegal and dangerous grow operations, these operations can set up shop elsewhere and law enforcement needs more tools to tackle the problem,” Haggan said. “Still most, if not all, of these cases have one common denominator: the need to use power.”

He says some of the bill needs work, including raising the 300-amperes limit.

Maine’s two major power companies, CMP and Versant, submitted joint testimony.

They say they’re concerned about the impact the legislation could have on customer privacy.