An Act To Amend Provisions of the Maine Energy Cost Reduction Act Regarding Assessments on Ratepayers
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0980
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: RILEY, LAWRENCE, BERRY, CAIAZZO, DENK, GRIGNON, HANLEY, KESSLER, WADSWORTH
Amends: 35-A MRSA §1905

Legislative Document
No. 980
H.P. 735
House of Representatives, February 26, 2019
An Act To Amend Provisions of the Maine Energy Cost Reduction 
Act Regarding Assessments on Ratepayers
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RILEY of Jay.
Cosponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York and
Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, CAIAZZO of Scarborough, DENK of Kennebunk, 
GRIGNON of Athens, HANLEY of Pittston, KESSLER of South Portland, WADSWORTH of 
Hiram.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §1905, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 445, §6, is 
further amended to read:
1.  Assessments on ratepayers.  The commission may direct one or more 
transmission and distribution utilities, gas utilities or natural gas pipeline utilities to 
collect an assessment from ratepayers for the following purposes:
A.  To finance the participation of a transmission and distribution utility, a gas utility 
or a natural gas pipeline utility in an energy cost reduction contract or a physical 
energy storage contract; and
B.  To pay the costs of energy cost reduction contract or physical energy storage 
contract evaluation and administration under section 1906, subsection 2.
All assessments must be just and reasonable as determined by the commission and must 
be identified as an energy cost reduction contract charge or a physical energy storage 
contract charge on a ratepayer's utility bill. When determining just and reasonable 
assessments, the commission shall consider the anticipated reduction in the price of gas or 
electricity, as applicable, accruing to different categories of ratepayers as a result of the 
contract.
In determining whether anticipated reductions in gas or electricity prices for electricity 
ratepayers in the State from an energy cost reduction contract are adequate, the 
commission may consider whether programs, contracts and other long-term enforceable 
energy project commitments in other states will reduce market prices of electricity, 
natural gas or both sufficient to make assessments of electricity ratepayers in the State for 
the energy cost reduction contract just and reasonable.  Such commitments may include 
programs for long-term contracts for wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy and 
energy storage projects and other enforceable obligations that reduce the market clearing 
electricity price applicable to electricity ratepayers in the State.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the Maine Energy Cost Reduction Act to permit the Public Utilities 
Commission to consider the effect on electricity market clearing prices in Maine of 
programs, contracts and other enforceable obligations in other states in determining 
whether assessments on Maine electricity ratepayers for natural gas pipelines and gas 
storage are just and reasonable.