An Act To Allow a Local Distributed Energy Pilot Program
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1293
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: MASTRACCIO, WOODSOME, BEAVERS, CAMPBELL, GROHMAN, HYMANSON, NOON, O'CONNOR, RYKERSON
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3475

Legislative Document 
No. 1293 
H.P. 879 
House of Representatives, April 9, 2015 
An Act To Allow a Local Distributed Energy Pilot Program 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MASTRACCIO of Sanford. 
Cosponsored by Senator WOODSOME of York and 
Representatives: BEAVERS of South Berwick, CAMPBELL of Orrington, DeCHANT of 
Bath, GROHMAN of Biddeford, HYMANSON of York, NOON of Sanford, O'CONNOR of 
Berwick, RYKERSON of Kittery. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3475 is enacted to read: 
§3475.  Solar partnership pilot program 
The commission shall establish a pilot program to encourage municipal and private 
partnerships to develop solar array photovoltaic systems that provide public benefits. 
1.  Program participation.  Participation in the pilot program is governed by the 
following: 
A.  A municipality and a developer of a solar array photovoltaic system wishing to 
participate in the program shall petition the commission; 
B.  The proposed solar array photovoltaic system, which may be owned by an entity 
other than the municipality, must be located entirely in the municipality that petitions 
the commission; and 
C.  The total generating capacity of all solar array photovoltaic systems participating 
in the pilot program may not exceed 15 megawatts. 
2.  Program elements.  Under the pilot program, notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Title, but in accordance with rules adopted by the commission: 
A.  Up to 2.5 megawatts of energy produced by the solar array photovoltaic system 
may be supplied under a net energy billing arrangement, as defined in section 
3209-A, to meet the energy requirements of the municipality and any public schools 
located in the municipality in which the solar array photovoltaic system is located; 
and 
B.  Costs to a transmission and distribution utility directly resulting from the pilot 
program are just and reasonable costs for ratemaking purposes. 
3.  Rules.  The commission shall adopt rules governing the pilot program.  Rules 
adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
4.  Report.  As part of its annual report submitted pursuant to section 120, the 
commission shall include a summary of actions taken under this section and participation 
in the pilot program and any recommendations regarding modifying or expanding the 
pilot program. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes a pilot program to encourage municipal and private partnerships 
to develop solar array photovoltaic systems that provide public benefits.  The total 
generating capacity of all solar array photovoltaic systems participating in the pilot 
program may not exceed 15 megawatts.  Under the pilot program, up to 2.5 megawatts of 
energy produced by the solar array photovoltaic system may be supplied under a net 
energy billing arrangement to meet the energy requirements of the municipality and any 
public schools located in the municipality in which the solar array photovoltaic system is 
located.  All costs to a transmission and distribution utility directly resulting from the 
pilot program are just and reasonable costs for ratemaking purposes.