Resolve, Directing the Public Utilities Commission To Review Certain Electricity Distribution Charges Assessed on Businesses
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0302
Committee Amendment CA_A_H58 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" Pt " to H.P. 211, L.D. 302, "Resolve, Directing the 
Public Utilities Commission To Review Certain Electricity Distribution Charges 
Assessed on Businesses" 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and before the summary 
and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Public Utilities Commission review. Resolved: 
That the Public 
Utilities Commission shall submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, 
Utilities and Technology regarding the demand charges placed on the medium rate class 
by an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility, referred to as a "utility" in this 
resolve. The report must include the following: 
1. An examination of how a utility determines whether a business should be in the 
medium rate class and therefore subject to the demand charges; 
2. An examination of the impact of demand charges on seasonal businesses that 
reach the demand charge break point only a few times per year or only during peak 
seasonal usage and whether a utility's current terms and conditions that govern demand 
charges are just and reasonable for seasonal businesses; 
3. An examination of the impact of demand charges on new customers, including a 
business account whose electricity use may change as a result of a change in ownership, 
and whether a utility's current terms and conditions that govern demand charges are just 
and reasonable for new customers; 
4. An examination of the impact of demand charges on business innovation and 
whether there are actions that can be taken to ensure that the demand charge does not 
negatively affect a business' willingness to test a new technology that increases electricity 
use; and 
5. Any recommended changes to a utility's terms and conditions to make the demand 
charges more just and reasonable, especially for the types of customers described in 
subsections 2 to 4, and a description of the process that will be needed to implement the 
recommendations. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT'H" to H.P. 211, L.D. 302 
The Public Utilities Commission shall submit the report to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Energy, Utilities and Technology no later than January 15, 2014. The Joint Standing 
Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology may report out a bill on the subject 
matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which replaces the resolve, more specifically defines the scope of 
the study proposed in the resolve and moves the reporting deadline from December 4, 
2013 to January 15,2014. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/18/13 Mac.. 
LD302 
LR 1238(02) 
Resolve, Directing the Public Utilities Commission To Review Certain Electricity Distribution Charges 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Assessed on Businesses 
:\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" [ H -5g) 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will incur additional costs to review certain distribution charges assessed 
against businesses to determine whether the charges are equitable and justifiable. The PUC indicates it has adequate 
available resources to accomplish the intent of the bill. 
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