An Act To Improve Transparency in the Electricity Supply Market
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0803
Committee Amendment CA_A_S49 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3203

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ")t" to S.P. 248, L.D. 803, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve Transparency in the Electricity Supply Market" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summmy and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3203, sub-§§4-B and 4-C are enacted to read: 
4-B. Residential consumer protections. As a condition of licensing, a competitive 
electricity provider that provides or proposes to provide generation service to a residential 
consumer: 
A. 
Shall disclose, before entering into an agreement to provide service to a 
residential consumer, to the residential consumer where the residential consumer can 
obtain information with which to compare the service provided by the competitive 
electricity provider and the standard-offer service; 
B. May not renew a contract for generation service without providing a residential 
consumer with notice of renewal in advance by mail; 
C. May not renew a contract for generation service at a fixed rate that is 20% or 
more above the contract rate in the expiring contract without the express consent of 
the residential consumer; 
D. May not renew a contract for generation service for a term that is longer than the 
te1m of the expiring contract or 12 months, whichever is sh011er, without the express 
consent of the residential consumer; and 
E. May not impose an early te1mination fee for any contract for generation service 
that was renewed without express consent from the residential consumer. 
If a residential consumer does not provide the express consent required by paragraphs C 
and D, the residential consumer must be transferred to standard-offer service. 
4-C. Residential consumer protection through transmission and distribution 
utility bill information. The monthly utility bill for a residential consumer that elects to 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 248, L.D. 803 
receive generation service from a competitive electricity provider must contain the 
following: 
A. A website address or other resource that residential consumers can access to 
obtain information that provides independent info1mation as dete1mined by the 
commission that allows residential consumers to compare terms, conditions and rates 
of electricity supply; and 
B. A statement that directs the residential consumer to the competitive electricity 
provider for more information on the residential consumer's contract, including its 
te1ms, and that provides the telephone number of the competitive electricity provider. 
Sec. 2. Report. The Public Utilities Commission in consultation with the Public 
Advocate shall conduct an analysis to determine the difference in price, if any, residential 
consumers paid for generation service by purchasing from a competitive electricity 
provider instead of receiving standard-offer service between 2014 and 2016. 
In 
evaluating any price difference, the Public Utilities Commission shall include, where 
possible, if and how the product purchased by the residential consumer differed from 
standard-offer service. The Public Utilities Commission shall rep01t the findings of the 
analysis to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by 
Februaiy 15, 2018. 
The rep01t may include recommendations. 
The joint standing 
committee may rep01t out a bill based on the rep01t to the Second Regular Session of the 
128th Legislature.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. This amendment: 
1. Makes the following changes to consumer protections for residential consumers 
that choose generation service through a competitive electricity provider: 
A. It requires the competitive electricity provider to disclose to the consumer where 
the consumer can obtain information to compare the service provided by the provider 
with standard-offer service; 
B. It prohibits the competitive electricity provider from renewing a contract for 
generation service if it fails to provide that consumer with a notice of renewal in 
advance by mail; 
C. 
It requires that, if a competitive electricity provider renews a contract for 
generation service at a fixed rate that is 20% or more above the contract rate in the 
expiring contract without express consent, the consumer must be transfeITed to 
standard-offer service; 
D. 
It requires that, if a competitive electricity provider renews a contract for 
generation service for a tenn that is longer than the term of the expiring contract or 
months, whichever is sho1ter, without express consent, the consumer must be 
transfeITed to standard-offer service; and 
E. It prohibits a competitive electricity provider from imposing an early te1mination 
fee for a contract that was renewed without express consent; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 248, L.D. 803 
2. Requires that the monthly utility bill for a residential consumer that elects to 
receive generation service from a competitive electricity provider contain the following: 
A. A website address or other resource where a consumer can obtain infonnation, as 
determined by the Public Utilities Commission, that provides independent 
information that allows residential consumers to compare tenns, conditions and rates 
of electricity supply; and 
B. A statement that directs the consumer to the competitive electricity provider for 
more information on the consumer's contract and that provides the telephone number 
of the competitive electricity provider; and 
3. Requires the commission in consultation with the Public Advocate to determine 
the difference in price, if any, residential consumers paid for generation service by 
purchasing from a competitive electricity provider instead of receiving standard-offer 
service between 2014 and 2016; where possible, state if and how the product purchased 
by the consumer differed from the standard-offer service; and submit its findings to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by Februaiy 15, 2018. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
7 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/18/17 feac. 
LD 803 
LR 323(02) 
An Act To Improve Transparency in the Electricity Supply Market 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A" 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
( 
11q\ 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
S- --r ;) 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Public Utilities Commission or the Office of the Public Advocate as a result of the 
additional reporting requirements regarding competitive electricity providers are anticipated to be minor and can be 
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0323(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1