Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1614
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: RILEY, WOODSOME, BERRY, CAIAZZO, DOUDERA, GROHOSKI

Legislative Document
No. 1614
H.P. 1166
House of Representatives, April 23, 2019
Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study the Economic, 
Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine 
Electricity Industry
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205.
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 WOODSOME of York and
Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, CAIAZZO of Scarborough, DOUDERA of 
Camden, GROHOSKI of Ellsworth.
Sec. 1.  Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy 
Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry established.  
Resolved:  That the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy 
Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry, referred to in this resolve as 
"the commission," is established.
Sec. 2.  Membership.  Resolved:  That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the 
commission consists of 13 members appointed as follows:
1.  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;
2.  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;
3.  Four public members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows:
A.  A representative of the energy storage industry;
B.  A representative of the hydroelectric energy storage industry;
C.  A representative of an electric utility in the State; and
D.  An academic in the field of energy storage; and
4.  Four public members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows:
A.  A representative of a conservation organization;
B.  A representative of a business that uses significant electric power in the State;
C.  A representative of a large-scale battery storage owner; and
D.  A representative of a small-scale battery storage owner.
Sec. 3.  Commission chairs.  Resolved:  That 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.
Sec. 4.  Appointments; convening of commission.  Resolved:  That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve.  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 effective date of this resolve 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.
Sec. 5.  Duties.  Resolved:  That the commission shall hold at least 4 meetings and 
shall:
1.  Review and evaluate the economic, environmental and energy benefits of energy 
storage to the State's electricity industry, as well as public policy and economic proposals 
to create and maintain a sustainable future for energy storage in the State;
2.  Consider the challenges of the broad electricity market in the State, including 
challenges with transmission and stranded renewable energy generation in the northern 
part of the State, and analyze whether energy storage is part of the transmission solution;
3.  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;
4.  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
5.  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.
Sec. 6.  Staff assistance.  Resolved:  That, 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.
Sec. 7.  Report.  Resolved:  That, 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.
SUMMARY
This resolve establishes the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and 
Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry.