An Act To Change Laws Amended by Public Law 2013, Chapter 369, Also Known as the Omnibus Energy Act
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0946
Committee Amendment CA_A_H369 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P .. 649, L.D. 946, Bill, "An Act To 
Change Laws Amended by Public Law 2013, Chapter 369, Also Known as the Omnibus 
Energy Act" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Establish a Moratorium on the Assessment of Large Volume 
Consumers by Gas Utilities and To Evaluate Cost-effective Natural Gas 
Conservation and Efficiency Improvements for Large Volume Consumers' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
. 
'Preamble. Whereas, the Legislature, with Public Law 2013, chapter 369, 
established an expanded natural gas conservation program for consumers during the First 
Regular Session of the l26th Legislature; and 
Whereas, all consumers benefit from investing in cost-effective energy efficiency 
projects and from other utility consumers investing in such projects; and 
Whereas, questions have arisen during the planning for implementation of the 
expanded program regarding the most effective way of achieving energy efficiency for 
the largest consumers of Maine's natural gas utilities; and 
Whereas, the largest of Maine's natural gas consumers use significantly greater 
volumes of natural gas than other consumers; and such uses include electricity generation 
and industrial process applications; and many of these consumers have only recently 
. converted to, or invested in equipment for use of, natural gas; now, therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. 
Moratorium on' assessments by gas utilities of large volume 
consumers. Resolved: That, notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, 
section 10111, until 90 days after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 
127th Legislature: 
. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to H.P. 649, L.D. 946 
1. 
Large volume consumers of a gas utility are not eligible to participate in any 
Efficiency Maine Trust natural gas conservation programs; 
2. 
The Public Utilities Commission may not allow a gas utility to collyct an 
assessment under Title 35-A, section 10111 through its rates from large volume 
consumers and may not make a final decision regarding the appropriateness of or size of 
such collections from large volume consumers; and 
3. The commission may not order or authorize a gas utility assessed under Title 
35-A, section 10111 to exempt any consumers other than large volume consumers from 
the collection of that assessment through its rates, 
Notwithstanding Title 35-A, section 10111, prior to 90 days after the adjournment of 
the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature, any assessment by the commission 
under Title 35-A, section 10111 must be in an amqunt necessary to capture aU cost-
effective energy efficiency that is achievable and reliable only for consumers who are 
eligible under this section to receive ft)nds from the natural gas cqnservation fund. 
For the purposes of this section, "large volume consumer" means a consumer of a gas 
utility that uses 1,000,000 centum cubic feet or more of natural gas per year; and be it 
further 
Sec. 2. Stakeholder discussions. Resolved: That the Efficiency Maine Trust 
shall, using existing resources, meet with representatives of large volume consumers of 
gas utilities, as defined in section 1, and other interested stakeholders to examine 
alternatives for promoting and securing cost-effective natural gas conservation and 
efficiency improvements for large volume consumers of gas utilities. The tnlst shall 
submit a report of these meetings, together with any recommendations, by December 31, 
2015 to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, which may 
report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve. The amendment establishes a 
moratorium on assessments for large volume consumers by gas utilities until 90 days 
after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 127th Legislature. This 
amendment specifies that the Public Utilities Commission may not allow a natural gas 
utility to collect an assessment under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 
10111 through its rates from large volume consumers and may not make a final decision 
regarding the appropriateness of or size of such collections from large volume consumers. 
The amendment specifies that the Public Utilities Commission may not order or authorize 
a natural gas utility to exempt from collection of an assessment through its rates any 
consumers other than large volume consumers. The amendment specifies that, during 
this same time period, large volume. consumers are not eligible to participate in any 
Efficiency Maine Trust natural gas conservation programs. This amendment also ensures 
that, during this period, notwithstanding Title 35-A, section 10111, any assessment by the 
commission must be in an amount necessary to capture all cost-effective energy 
efficiency that is achievable and reliable only for consumers who are eligible to receive 
funds from the natural gas conservation fund. This amendment defines a large volume 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 649, L.D. 946 
consumer as a consumer using 1,000,000 centum cubic feet or more of natural gas per 
year. 
This amendment also directs the Effici.ency Maine Trust to meet with large volume 
consumers of gas utilities and other interested stakeholders to examine alternatives for 
promoting and securing cost-effective natural gas 
conservation and efficiency 
improvements for large volume consumers of gas utilities. This amendment directs the 
trust to report the results of these meetings, along with recommendations, to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by Oecember 31, 2015. The 
committee is authorized to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 127th 
Legislature. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/08/15 
;1//czc 
LD946 
LR 1241(02) 
An Act To Change Laws Amended by Public Law 2013, Chapter 369, Also Known as the Omnibus 
Energy Act 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A" { ~ ~3l.o~ 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium revenue decrease - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The bill requires that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) not assess any large volume customer of a gas utility or 
make any final decision regarding the appropriateness or size of assessments on large volume customers until 90 days i 
after adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the l27th Legislature in fiscal year 2016-17. There is a pending 
proceeding at the PUC dealing with Efficiency Maine Trust's (EMT) triennial plan and the issue of whether to assess 
these large volume customers is being decided. Large volume customers are not currently being assessed by the PUC. 
Any revenue, if they were to be assessed, would be transferred to EMT by the PUC. No estimate is made at this time 
on whether and at what rate they would be assessed. Any additional costs to EMT to meet with representatives of 
large volume customers and other interested stakeholders are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within 
existing budgeted resources. 
LR1241(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1