An Act to Enact the Beneficial Electrification Pohcy Act
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1724
Committee Amendment CA_A_S357 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §10102, 35-A MRSA §10104, 35-A MRSA §10110

COMMITTEE AMEND1\1ENT "4,, to S P 688, L D 1724, "An Act to Enact the 
Beneficial Electrification Pohcy Act" 
Amend the bill by stnkmg out everythmg after the enactmg clause and msertmg the 
followmg 
'Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA c. 38 is enacted to read 
CHAPTER38 
BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION POLICY ACT 
§3801. Short title 
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Beneficial Electnfication Pohcy Act " 
§3802. Defimt10ns 
For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise mdicates, the followmg 
terms have the followmg meanmgs 
1. Beneficial electrification. "Beneficial electnficat10n" has the same meanmg as m 
section 10102, subsection 3-A 
2. Office. "Office" means the Governor's Energy Office 
3. Renewable resource. "Renewable resource" has the same meanmg as m sect10n 
3210, subsection 2, paragraph C 
4. Trust. "Trust" means the Efficiency Mame Trust 
§3803. Support for pobcy of beneficial electrification 
1. Petition for renewable resources procurement. The office may petition the 
comm1ss1on to procure energy from renewable resources to achieve the em1ss1on reduct10n 
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COMMITIBE AMENDMENT •A- "to S P 688, L D 1724 
and renewable energy goals of the State and to meet reasonably expected growth m electric 
demand 
A In developmg a petit10n for procurement of energy from renewable resources, the 
office shall consult with relevant departments and agencies 
B The comm1ss1on shall evaluate a petition submitted by the office m accordance with 
sect10n 3 804 and may through a competitive procurement process established by the 
comm1ss10n by rule procure energy from one or more renewable resources The 
comm1ss10n may drrect a transm1ss10n and d1str1bution utility to enter mto a long-term 
contract for the energy procured Rules adopted to implement this paragraph are routme 
techmcal rules as defined m Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A 
2. Plan for promotmg beneficial electr1ficatJ.on for end uses of energy The trust 
shall develop a 3-year beneficial electrification plan for end uses of energy as part of the 
trust's tnenmal plan m accordance with section 10104, subsect10n 4 and provide annual 
updates to the plan m accordance with section 10104, subsect10n 6 
In developmg its 
beneficial electnficat1on plan for end uses, the trust shall consult with relevant departments 
and agencies 
3. Fundmg and reportmg. Notw1thstandmg sect10ns 116 and 117, at the request of 
the office, the comm1ss10n may transfer money from funds m the Public Ut1lit1es 
Comm1ss1on Regulatory Fund or the Public Utilities Comm1ss10n Rennbursement Fund to 
the office to pay for the costs associated with a petit10n for a procurement of energy from 
renewable resources under subsection 1 and, at the request of the trust, to the trust to 
implement the 3-year beneficial electr1ficat10n plan mcluded m the trienmal plan under 
subsection 2 At the end of any year m which the comm1ss10n has transferred money under 
this subsect10n to the office or the trust, the office or the trust, respectively, shall provide a 
report to the comm1ss1on detailmg its fund requests, money received and expenditures 
4. Momtormg beneficial electrification trends and opportumt1es. To the extent 
possible through readily available mformat10n, the office, the comm1ss10n and the trust 
shall coordmate to momtor 
A All beneficial electr1ficat10n activity m the State and the effect of the comm1ss10n' s 
act10ns under sect10n 3 804, 
B Trends m beneficial electr1ficat1on m the State and m other mnsd1ct1ons, and 
C 
The estrmated costs and benefits for ratepayers of beneficial electnficat1on 
programs occumng as a result of this chapter and other programs that have been 
Implemented m the State 
§3804. Comm1ss10n advancement of clean energy and beneficial electrification 
The comm1ss1on shall advance through its dec1s1ons and orders beneficial 
electrification m order to achieve the em1ss10n reduct10n and renewable energy goals of the 
State, reduce energy costs to consumers and provide economic and cl1mate benefits for all 
ratepayers The comm1ss1on shall seek to procure energy under sect10n 3803, subsect10n 1, 
paragraph B m a manner that 1s consistent with beneficial electr1ficat1on To the extent 
practicable, the comm1ss10n shall seek to ensure that the acgms1t10n of energy from 
renewable resources under section 3 803, subsect10n I, paragraph B 1s designed to procure 
sufficient energy to meet the portfolio regurrements under section 3210 for the reasonably 
expected mcrease m use of electr1c1ty by retail electr1c1ty consumers 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·A "to SP 688, L D 1724 
§3805. Reportmg 
Comm1ss1on report. The comm1ss1on shall mclude m its annual report under sect10n 
120, subsect10n 7 a summary of its act1v1t1es m accordance with this chapter 
2. Office report. The office shall mclude m its annual report under Title 2, sect10n 9, 
subsect10n 3, paragraph C-1 a summary of its activ1t1es m accordance with this chapter 
3. Trust report. The trust shall mclude m its annual report under section 10104, 
subsection 5 a summary of its act1v1t1es m accordance with this chapter 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §10102, sub-§3-A, as enacted by PL 2019, c 365, §1, 1s 
amended to read 
3-A. Beneficial electrification. "Beneficial electnficat10n" means electnficat1on of a 
technology or process that results m reduction m the use of a fossil fuel, mcludmg 
electnficat1on of a technology or process that would otherwise requrre energy from a fossil 
fuel, and that provides a benefit to a utthty, a ratepayer or the envrronment, without causmg 
harm to uttht1es, ratepayers or the environment, by tmprovmg the efficiency of the 
electnc1ty gnd or reducmg consumer costs or em1ss10ns, mcludmg carbon em1ss10ns 
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§2, ,re, as enacted by PL 2009, c 372, Pt B, 
§3, 1s amended to read 
C The efficiency with which programs are planned, designed, overseen and dehvered 
IS max1m1zed, aftQ 
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§2, ~' as enacted by PL 2009, c 372, Pt B, 
§3, 1s amended to read 
D 
Sufficient checks and balances are provided to ensure consistency with pubhc 
pohcy and accountab1hty for meetmg the prmc1ples set out m paragraphs A to C and E 
so that energy efficiency programs m the State are sustamable for the long term-, and 
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§2, ~ 
1s enacted to read 
E 
Programs are planned and tmplemented to advance the pohcy of beneficial 
electnficat10n as descnbed m chapter 3 8 
Sec. 6. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§4-A, ~' as amended by PL 2019, c 313, §8, 
1s further amended by amendmg the frrst blocked paragraph to read 
The trust shall use, and the comm1ss1on shall give deference to, values for each element 
of av01ded energy cost from a regional avoided energy supply cost study as long as the 
analysis has been developed through a transparent process, with mput from state 
agencies, pubhc advocates, ut1ht1es or energy efficiency adm1mstrators from at least 3 
other states m New England and the analysis has been pubhshed not more than 24 
months pnor to the trust's fihng of the plan When values specific to the State are not 
available m the reg10nal study, the trust may use, and the comm1ss1on shall give 
deference to, regional values provided m that reg10nal study or values determmed from 
other sources when supported by evidence m the record, aaa 
Sec. 7. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§4-A, ,re, as enacted by PL 2013, c 369, Pt A, 
§20 and affected by §30, 1s amended to read 
C Maxtmize total electr1c1ty savmgs for all ratepayers-, and 
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COMJ\.1ITTEE AMENDMENT"/} "to SP 688, L D 1724 
Sec. 8. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§4-A, ~ 
1s enacted to read 
D Include all beneficial electnficat10n measures that are cost-effective and reliably 
reduce electnc1ty rates over the hfe of the measures In determmmg whether a measure 
1s cost-effective, the comm1ss1on shall account for all net energy costs, mcludmg 
savmgs from avoided heatmg, transportation or mdustnal process fuels displaced by 
the measure 
Sec. 9. Study; report reqmred. The Pubhc Ut1hties Comm1ss10n shall conduct a 
study on how to cost-effectively provide consumer fmancmg of beneficial electr1ficat10n 
products, mcludmg products for energy efficiency, home or busmess energy storage, 
electric vehicle chargmg eqmpment and other d1str1buted energy products through methods 
mcludmg, but not hm1ted to, on-bill fmancmg by standard-offer service providers or 
compet1t1ve electnc1ty providers, or through some combmat1on thereof The study must 
provide analysis of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each financmg method 
considered by the comm1ss1on compared to ex1stmg and planned offermgs of other finance 
m1t1atives m the State, mcludmg but not hm1ted to the offermgs of the Efficiency Mame 
Trust, the Mame State Housmg Authonty and the Fmance Authonty of Mame The study 
must also review consumer protection prov1s10ns used by other Junsd1ct10ns that permit 
on-bill fmancmg By January 5, 2024, the comm1ss10n shall submit to the Jomt Standmg 
Committee on Energy, Ut1ht1es and Technology a report on the study requrred by this 
section The committee may report out a bill durmg the Second Regular Sess10n of the 
131st Legislature concemmg the subject matter of the report 
Sec. 10. Appropriations and allocations. The followmg appropnations and 
allocat10ns are made 
PUBLIC UTILITIES CO:MJ.V.IISSION 
Public Utihties - Admm1strat1ve D1v1S1on 0184 
Imt1attve Provides allocat10ns for expenditures related to contracted consultmg services 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2023-24 
2024-25 
All Other 
$202,042 
$0 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$202,042 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettermg or renumbermg any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and does the followmg 
It amends the defimt1on of "beneficial electr1ficat10n" to mclude a process 
It allows the Governor's Energy Office to petition the Pubhc Utilities Comm1ss1on 
to procure energy from renewable resources and allows the comm1ss1on to pay for the costs 
associated with the office's petit10n 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A " 
to S P 688, L D 1724 
It reqmres the comm1ss1on to evaluate a pet1t1on submitted by the office and allows 
the comm1ss1on to imtlate a competitive solicitation to approve one or more contracts for 
energy from renewable resources 
It d1rects the Efficiency Mame Trust to develop a 3-year beneficial electr1ficat1on 
plan as a part of its tr1enmal plan and allows the commission to pay for the costs associated 
with Implementmg the beneficial electrification plan 
It requ1res, to the extent possible through readily available mformat10n, the office, 
the comm1ss10n and the trust to momtor beneficial electr1ficat10n act1v1ties, trends and costs 
and benefits to ratepayers 
It reqmres the comm1ss1on, the office and the trust to mclude mformatlon on 
beneficial electnficat1on activities m each entity's annual report to the Legislature 
It d1rects the commiss10n to conduct a study of how to cost-effectively provide 
consumer financmg of beneficial electr1ficat1on products, mcludmg products for energy 
efficiency, home or busmess energy storage, electric vehicle chargmg eqmpment and other 
d1str1buted energy products The comnuss1on must submit a report on the study to the Jomt 
Standmg Committee on Energy, Ut1ht1es and Technology by January 5, 2024 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved 06/17 /23 ~ae 
LD 1724 
LR2046(02) 
An Act to Enact the Beneficial Electrification Policy Act 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Colillillttee Amendment jf' {5 '!f>" ,\ 
Committee: Energy, Utilit1es and Technology 
'_) 
Fiscal Note Reqmred: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2023-24 
FY 2024-25 
ProJections 
FY 2025-26 
Projections 
FY 2026-27 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Revenue 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detall and Notes 
$202,042 
$202,042 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
This bill establishes a beneficial electnfication policy for the State The bill defines beneficial electnfication, allows 
the Governor's Energy Office (GEO) to petition the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for renewable energy 
procurement, dtrects the Efficiency Mame Trust (EMT) to develop a 3-year beneficial electnfication plan to be 
mcluded m its tnenmal plan and reqmres addit10nal momtonng and reportmg on beneficial electnficat10n activities m 
support of the policy's established goals 
The bill mcludes a one-tnne allocation of $202,042 m fiscal year 2023-24 to the PUC for contracted consultmg 
services Smee the PUC is funded by assessments on impacted utilities set to produce sufficient revenue for the 
expenditures needed to operate it, the mcreased allocations requtre a correspondmg mcrease m revenue from those 
assessments 
The bill allows the GEO and the EMT to request transfers of funds from the PUC Regulatory Fund or the PUC 
Reimbursement Fund to pay for expenditures related to a petition for procurement of energy from renewable 
resources, m the case of the GEO, and for expenditures related to the implementation of the 3-year beneficial 
electnfication plan, m the case of the EMT 
LR2046(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1