An Act To Make Efficient Electric Heat Pumps Available to Utility Customers, Including Low-income Customers
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1558
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: GROHMAN, WOODSOME, BROOKS, CHAPMAN, DEVIN, DUNPHY, EVANGELOS, FREDETTE, SAUCIER
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3105

Legislative Document 
No. 1558 
H.P. 1061 
House of Representatives, January 14, 2016 
An Act To Make Efficient Electric Heat Pumps Available to Utility 
Customers, Including Low-income Customers 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative GROHMAN of Biddeford. 
Cosponsored by Senator WOODSOME of York and 
Representatives: BROOKS of Lewiston, CHAPMAN of Brooksville, DeCHANT of Bath, 
DEVIN of Newcastle, DUNPHY of Embden, EVANGELOS of Friendship, FREDETTE of 
Newport, SAUCIER of Presque Isle. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3105 is enacted to read: 
§3105.  Heat pump program 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a transmission and distribution utility 
may develop and implement, upon approval of the commission, a program within its 
service territory to assist low-income customers and other customers who need assistance 
in obtaining the benefits of efficient electric heat pumps as set forth in this section and 
may advertise the availability of its program to its customers. 
1.  Approval; activities of the utility.  A transmission and distribution utility must 
submit a proposed program to the commission for approval.  The commission shall 
examine the proposed program and, if it finds the proposed program is reasonably 
designed and consistent with the provisions and program elements of this section, shall 
approve the program.  All activities of a transmission and distribution utility under an 
approved program must be considered regulated activities of the utility subject to 
commission regulation as a utility service, notwithstanding any provision of law 
otherwise limiting the amount of investment or revenue a utility may make or receive in a 
business venture separate from the delivery of electricity.  Recovery of all reasonable and 
prudent costs associated with the program must be through customers participating in the 
program and may not be passed through to customers not participating in the program. 
2.  Program elements.  A program under this section must include the following 
program elements: 
A.  A transmission and distribution utility may, through a qualified heat pump 
installer selected by a customer participating in the program, provide an efficient 
electric heat pump to a customer within its service territory who, for purposes of this 
paragraph, is unable to purchase and install a heat pump due to income or other 
reasons.  The utility may own the heat pump provided to a customer participating in 
the program and may charge the customer for the costs associated with providing the 
heat pump and the customer must be provided an option to later buy the heat pump 
provided on reasonable terms approved by the commission.  If the customer is 
delinquent in payments under the program, the utility may undertake reasonable debt 
collection activities as approved by the commission and otherwise consistent with 
applicable law, but in no event may the customer's electric service be disconnected as 
a result of the customer's delinquency under the program; 
B.  The overall energy costs to customers under the program must decrease as a result 
of participation in the program, as measured by the overall energy costs of customers 
over the lifespan of the heat pumps, regardless of the source of energy, and the costs 
associated with participation in the program; and 
C.  A transmission and distribution utility may offer incentives to customers 
participating in the program to acquire efficient electric heat pumps to be used to 
reduce the total installation cost of such heat pumps.  
3.  Utility to provide information.  A transmission and distribution utility that 
implements a program under this section shall, upon request from the commission, 
provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the program is meeting the 
requirements of this section. 
Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of the commission to 
establish electric distribution rates for customers participating in a program under this 
section.  
Sec. 2.  PL 2011, c. 637, §11, as amended by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. G, §§1 and 2, is 
repealed. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows transmission and distribution utilities to implement programs to 
provide efficient electric heat pumps to customers who are unable to purchase and install 
heat pumps due to income or other reasons.  The program's design and operation is 
subject to review and regulation by the Public Utilities Commission and may include 
rates for customers participating in the program to cover program costs, which costs may 
be paid only by customers participating in the program, and the program must offer 
customer choice of qualified 3rd-party installers.  It also repeals the provision of law that 
allowed transmission and distribution utilities to develop and implement pilot programs 
to provide efficient electric heating systems to customers.