An Act To Secure the Maine Electrical Grid from Long-tenn Blackouts
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1363
Committee Amendment CA_B_S216 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3144

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " e,,, to S.P. 496, L.D. 1363, Bill, "An Act To 
Secure the Maine Electrical Grid from Long-tenn Blackouts" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following; 
'Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3144 is enacted to read; 
§3144. Protection from geomagnetic disturbances 
The commission shall direct transmission and distribution utilities to take all cost-
effective actions, including monitoring their 345-kilovolt transfonners, to ensure that 
their systems are protected from or able to negate effects of severe geomagnetic 
disturbances. Any action directed by the commission must be consistent with the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission's reliability standards. 
As part of its annual report submitted pursuant to section 120, the commission shall 
include a summary of actions taken under this section.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is a minority report of the committee. It removes the directive to the 
Public Utilities Commission to order transmission and distribution utilities to undertake 
actions to ensure their systems are protected from or able to negate effects of 
electromagnetic pulses and limits the directive to severe geomagnetic disturbances only. 
It also requires the commission to direct transmission and distribution utilities to monitor 
their 345-ldlovolt transfonners to ensure they are protected from severe geomagnetic 
disturbances. This amendment specifies that any action directed by the commission must 
be cost-effective and consistent with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's 
reliability standards. It removes language that specifies that all costs inculTed by 
transmission and distribution utilities as a result of the requirements imposed under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3144 are just and reasonable for rate-making 
purposes. It also removes language that prohibits a transmission and distribution utility 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" e:, " to S.P. 496, L.D. 1363 
from collecting from ratepayers costs to address the failure of the system due to 
geomagnetic disturbances or electromagnetic pulses. 
This amendment removes section 2 of the bill, which requires the commission by 
July 1, 2016 to direct transmission and distribution utilities to undertake specific 
mitigation measures to protect against geomagnetic disturbances and electromagnetic 
pulses. 
FISCAL ~OTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
"".!; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/05115 
~C 
LD 1363 
LR 899(03) 
An Act To Secure the Maine Electrical Grid from Long-term Blackouts 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 't:>'( S-::2)\Q) 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Any additional costs to the Public Utilities Commission to implement this legislation are expected to be minor and can 
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0899(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1