Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0932

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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In House__________
ORDERED, the Senate concurring, that the Commission To Study the Economic, 
Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry is 
established as follows.
1.  Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy 
Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry established.  The Commission To Study the 
Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity 
Industry, referred to in this order as "the commission," is established.
2.  Membership.  Notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the commission consists of 13 members 
appointed as follows:
A.  Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including a 
member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature;
B.  Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House, including members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature;
C.  Four public members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows:
(1)  A representative of the energy storage industry;
(2)  A representative of the hydroelectric energy storage industry;
(3)  A representative of an electric utility in the State; and
(4)  An academic in the field of energy storage; and
D.  Four public members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows:
(1)  A representative of a conservation organization;
(2)  A representative of a business that uses significant electric power in the State;
(3)  A representative of a large-scale battery storage owner; and
(4)  A representative of a small-scale battery storage owner.
3. Commission chairs.  The first-named Senator is the Senate chair of the commission and 
the first-named member of the House is the House chair of the commission.
4.  Appointments; convening of commission.  All appointments must be made no later than 
days following passage of this order.  The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive 
Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been made.  When the 
appointment of all members has been completed, the chairs of the commission shall call and 
convene the first meeting of the commission.  If 30 days or more after the passage of this order a 
majority of but not all appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the 
Legislative Council may grant authority for the commission to meet and conduct its business.
5.  Duties.  The commission shall hold at least 4 meetings and shall: 
A.  Review and evaluate the economic, environmental and energy benefits of energy 
storage to the Maine electricity industry, as well as public policy and economic proposals 
to create and maintain a sustainable future for energy storage in the State;
B.  Consider the challenges of the broad electricity market in the State, including 
challenges with transmission and stranded renewable energy generation in northern 
Maine, and analyze whether energy storage is part of the transmission solution;
C.  Consider whether the environmental, economic, resiliency and energy benefits of 
energy storage support updating the State's energy policy to strengthen and increase the 
role of energy storage throughout the State;
D.  Consider the economic benefits of energy storage systems procurement targets, 
including benefits of cost savings to ratepayers from the provision of services, including 
energy price arbitrage, capacity, ancillary services and transmission and distribution asset 
deferral or substitution; direct cost savings to ratepayers that deploy energy storage 
systems; an improved ability to integrate renewable resources; improved reliability and 
power quality; the effect on retail electric rates over the life of a given energy storage 
system compared to the effect on retail electric rates using a nonenergy storage system 
alternative over the life of the nonenergy storage system alternative; reduced greenhouse 
gas emissions; and any other value reasonably related to the application of energy storage 
system technology and compare those economic benefits to the effects of leaving current 
policies in place; and
E.  Examine any other issues to further the purposes of the study.
In conducting the duties under this section, the commission shall seek public input and shall 
consult and collaborate with stakeholders and experts in the fields of economic development, 
natural resources and energy policy.
6.  Staff assistance.  Notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Legislative Council shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff support is not 
authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.  The commission may invite the 
Department of Economic and Community Development, the Public Utilities Commission, the 
Office of the Public Advocate, the Governor's Energy Office and the Efficiency Maine Trust and 
other appropriate agencies of State Government to provide additional staff support or assistance 
to the commission.
7.  Report.  No later than December 4, 2019, the commission shall submit a report that 
includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the Second 
Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.  The suggested legislation must include, but is not 
limited to, adopting procurement targets for the State for energy storage systems, both behind a 
customer meter and connected to transmission and distribution facilities, if proven beneficial for 
ratepayers in the cost-benefit analysis under section 5.
SPONSORED BY: ___________________________________
(Representative RILEY)
TOWN: Jay