An Act To Control Electricity Transmission Costs through the Development of Nontransmission Alternatives
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1487
Committee Amendment CA_A_S435 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3143

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 516, L.D. 1487, Bill, "An Act To 
Control Electricity Transmission Costs through the Development of Nontransmission 
Alternatives" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Advance the Establishment of a Single, Independent Smart Grid 
Coordinator' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3143, sub-§2, ~' as enacted by PL 2009, c. 539, §2, is 
amended to read: 
D. The State currently lacks a comprehensive smart grid policy but faces critical 
decisions regarding the implementation of smart grid functions and associated 
infrastructure, technology and applications, and the commission and the Legislature 
will play central roles in making those deoisions it is in the public interest to establish 
a single, independent smart grid coordinator; and 
Sec. 
2. 
Stakeholder group to 
evaluate options 
and prepare 
recommendations. The Office of the Public Advocate shall convene a stakeholder 
group to discuss and frame for legislative consideration options and recommendations for 
the efficient and effective functioning of a single, independent smart grid coordinator. 
The group shall address issues raised in the order dated December 15, 2017 and the 
examiners' report issued in the Public Utilities Commission's proceeding Docket No. 
2016-00049 including, but not limited to: 
1. The qualifications an entity should possess in order to qualify as a smart grid 
coordinator and the criteria the Public Utilities Commission should use in selecting a 
smart grid coordinator; 
2. 
The approach to be employed regarding costs and incentives related to 
implementing the provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3143 and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
i. el,~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 516, L.D. 1487 
considering nonwires alternatives in proposals made pursuant to Title 35-A, sections 
3132 and 3132-A, including: 
A. Addressing financial disincentives for transmission and distribution utilities to 
promote smart grid functions, including recovering the costs of contracted nonwires 
alternatives and the limitations, if any, on utilities owning generation assets as 
nonwires alternatives under Title 35-A, section 3204, subsection 6; and 
B. 
The financial incentives appropriate for the smart grid coordinator and how 
operating costs of the smart grid coordinator should be recovered; 
3. The roles of the Office of the Public Advocate, the Efficiency Maine Trust, as 
established in Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 10-C, and transmission and 
distribution utilities in meeting the goals of Title 35-A, section 3143 while: 
A. Ensuring independence in the analysis, procurement and dispatch of nonwires 
alternatives; and 
B. 
Minimizing redundancy in the functions of these parties and in the uses of 
systems and operations that are paid for by ratepayers; 
4. 
The specific process to ensure the efficient, timely review and approval of 
traditional transmission and distribution projects and nonwires alternatives and the 
process or approach to be employed in order for the Public Utilities Commission to retain 
the appropriate authority over the procurement and operation of nonwires alternatives and 
utility investment decisions; and 
5. The additional legislative authority or directives needed to ensure the efficient and 
effective establishment of a smart grid coordinator, promotion of the goals under Title 
5-A, section 314 3 and development of non wires alternatives to achieve grid reliability at 
the lowest cost to ratepayers. 
The stakeholder group must be open to all interested parties. Reasonable costs to 
facilitate the group must be determined by the Office of the Public Advocate and may be 
paid from revenues received pursuant to Title 35-A, section 10109 by the Efficiency 
Maine Trust. 
The Office of the Public Advocate shall submit by February 1, 2019 a report that 
summarizes the discussions and recommendations from the stakeholder group to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utility matters. 
The committee may report out a bill based on the recommendations in the report to the 
Sec. 3. Public Utilities Commission consideration of rate proposals. Until 
days after adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature, the 
Public Utilities Commission may not implement any final decisions related to any rate 
proposals received from any transmission and distribution utility pursuant to the 
commission's order of December 15, 2017, in the Public Utilities Commission's Docket 
No. 2016-00049, that puts wires and nonwires solutions on equal footing for rate-making 
incentive purposes.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
"· (!l ~. 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENT"A" to S.P. 516, L.D.1487 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. It amends the legislative 
findings provision of the laws regarding declaration of policy on smart grid infrastructure 
to state that it is in the public interest to establish a single, independent smart grid 
coordinator. It directs the Office of the Public Advocate to convene a stakeholder group 
to evaluate options and prepare recommendations for certain issues related to the efficient 
and effective implementation of smart grid policy, including addressing costs and 
financial incentives of transmission and distribution utilities and the smart grid 
coordinator and describing roles for the Public Advocate, Efficiency Maine Trust and 
transmission and distribution utilities with regard to nonwires alternatives and other smart 
grid functions. It also prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from implementing any 
final decisions related to rate proposals received pursuant to the commission's order of 
December 15, 2017 in the Public Utilities Commission's Docket No. 2016-00049 from 
any transmission and distribution utility until 90 days after adjournment of the First 
Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/01/18 feac 
LD 1487 
LR 1688(02) 
An Act To Control Electricity Transmission Costs through the Development of Nontransmission 
Alternatives 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''/t- (_S-L\ '30 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Any additional costs to the Office of the Public Advocate, Efficiency Maine Trust or the Public Utilities Commission 
resulting from their participation in a stakeholder process to develop recommendations for the establishment of an 
independent, smart grid coordinator are anticipated to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR1688(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1