An Act to Require Electricity Providers to Inform Customers of Alternative Electric Rates and Gather Consent Prior to Contract Renewal
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2163
Committee Amendment CA_A_S633 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3203

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/^ " to S.P. 918, L.D. 2163, "An Act to Require
Electricity Providers to Inform Customers of Alternative Electric Rates and Gather Consent
Prior to Contract Renewal"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'An Act to Require Consumer Consent for Certain Generation Service Contract
Renewals'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 35-A MRSA §3203, sub-§4-B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 375, §1, is
further amended 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 consumerf if the renewal rate is a fixed rate that is:
(11 Twenty percent or more above the contract rate m the expirine contract; or
(2) Greater than_the fixed rate that would, at the time of the residential consumer's
contract renewal, be offered by the competitive electricity provider to customers
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^ " to S.P. 918, L.D. 2163 ^-(
enrolling with the provider for an initial contract of a similar term and product
offering;
C-l. May not renew a contract for generation service at a variable rate without the
express consent of the residential consumer if the expiring contract provided generation
service at a fixed rate;
D. May not renew a contract for generation service for a term that is longer than differs
from the term of the expiring contract or 12 months, whichever is shorter, without the
express consent of the residential consumer; and
E. May not enter into or renew a contract for generation service that includes an early
termination fee,
If a residential consumer does not provide the express consent required by paragraphs C^
C-l and D, the residential consumer must be transferred to standard-offer service.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutive ly.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill and
changes the title. It does the following.
1. It provides that a competitive electricity provider may not renew a contract for
generation service without the express consent of the residential consumer if the renewal
rate is a fixed rate that is 20% or more above the contract rate in the expiring contract or
greater than the fixed rate that would, at the time of the consumer's renewal, be offered by
the competitive electricity provider to customers enrolling with the provider for an initial
contract of a similar term and product offering.
2. It prohibits a competitive electricity provider from renewing a contract for
generation service at a variable rate without the express consent of the residential consumer
if the expiring contract provided generation service at a fixed rate.
3. It prohibits a competitive electricity provider from renewing a contract for
generation service for a term that differs from the term of the expiring contract without the
express consent of the residential consumer.
0 FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 03/27/24 ^^C--
LD 2163 LR 2863(02)
An Act to Require Electricity Providers to Inform Customers of Alternative Electric Rates and Gather
Consent Prior to Contract Renewal
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '^"^j
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the Public Utilities Commission from the provisions of this bill are expected to be minor and
can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
LR2863(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1