An Act To Facilitate Maine's Climate Goals by Encouraging Use of Electric Vehicles
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0347
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: GROHOSKI
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3152, 35-A MRSA §3157

Legislative Document
No. 347
H.P. 245
House of Representatives, February 8, 2021
An Act To Facilitate Maine's Climate Goals by Encouraging Use of 
Electric Vehicles
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 4, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GROHOSKI of Ellsworth.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3152, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. F, 
§3, is further amended to read:
C.  Require the commission to consider the ability of low-income residential customers 
to pay in full for electric services as transmission and distribution rates are redesigned 
consistent with these policies; and
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3152, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. F, §4, 
is amended to read:
D.  Require the commission to set rates to the extent practicable to achieve economic 
efficiency.; and
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §3152, sub-§1, ¶E is enacted to read:
E.  In accordance with section 3157, require the commission to establish incentive rates 
to promote the installation and operation of electric vehicle charging stations.
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §3157 is enacted to read:
§3157.  Electric vehicle charging stations; incentive rates
The commission shall review and approve incentive rates for electric vehicle charging 
stations in accordance with this section.
1. Proposed incentive rate schedules.  The commission shall direct each transmission 
and distribution utility to develop and submit by November 1, 2021 a proposed incentive 
rate schedule to promote the installation and operation of electric vehicle charging stations.  
A proposed incentive rate schedule:
A.  Must be designed to align with and support relevant strategies of the State's climate 
action plan adopted and updated under Title 38, section 577 and to help achieve the 
State's greenhouse gas emissions reduction levels under Title 38, section 576-A; and
B.  Must include an evaluation of the relative direct and indirect costs and benefits 
associated with each proposed incentive rate and must account for varying scenarios 
of electric vehicle adoption and usage.
2. Review.  The commission, after notice and hearing, shall determine whether a 
proposed incentive rate schedule submitted pursuant to subsection 1 meets the requirements 
of subsection 1, paragraph A and, using the information provided under subsection 1, 
paragraph B and any other information available to the commission, shall evaluate the costs 
and benefits of the proposed schedule.  After completing that determination and evaluation, 
the commission shall approve, approve with modifications or reject the proposed schedule.  
If the commission rejects the proposed schedule, the commission may either order the 
utility to implement an incentive rate schedule established by the commission or direct the 
utility to submit a new proposed schedule that meets the requirements of this section.
3.  Revisions.  Not more than once every 3 years following the establishment of a 
transmission and distribution utility's incentive rate schedule pursuant to this section, the 
transmission and distribution utility may file with the commission an application to revise 
the schedule.  The application under this subsection must include a description of the 
changing costs or conditions necessitating the proposed revision.  The commission shall 
review a revision submitted under this subsection in the same manner and using the same 
criteria as provided under subsection 2.
SUMMARY
This bill requires each transmission and distribution utility, on or before November 1, 
2021, to submit to the Public Utilities Commission a proposed incentive rate schedule to 
promote the installation and operation of electric vehicle charging stations.  Such proposals 
must be designed to align with and support relevant strategies of the State's climate action 
plan adopted and updated under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 577 and to 
help achieve the State's greenhouse gas emissions reduction levels under Title 38, section 
576-A.  The commission, after notice and hearing, is required to approve, approve with 
modifications or reject each proposed incentive rate schedule.