An Act Regarding Energy Fairness
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1949
Committee Amendment CA_A_HA_A_H780 (House)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §301-A

HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" to CO:MMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 756, 
L.D. 1949, "An Act Regarding Energy Fairness" 
Amend the amendment on page 4 by striking out all of lines 4 to 27 and inse1ting the 
following: 
'Amend the bill by striking out all of section C-2 and inse1ting the following: 
1Sec. C-2. 35-A MRSA §301-A is enacted to read: 
§301-A. Administrative charge limitation 
1. "Administrative charge" defined. "Administrative charge" means a fee or charge 
for services that is added to the actual cost of materials or supplies or labor performed by 
or on behalf of a transmission and distribution utility with over 50,000 customers and 
charged to a transmission and distribution utility customer for work funded directly by that 
customer through a proposal, estimate. invoice or final accounting for the cost of 
interconnection, line extensions or other work funded directly by the customer other than 
charges for the customer's regular electricity service. "Administrative charge" includes, 
but is not limited to. an administrative service charge, overhead. an indirect overhead cost 
or a cost adder. "Administrative charge" does not include: 
A. Expenses for a transmission and distribution utility employee's labor while directly 
engaged in the work for which a customer is billed if the customer bill states that those 
expenses are included in the cost of labor; or 
B. Expenses related to the purchase. storage or delivery of materials or supplies 
incorporated into the work if the customer bill states that those expenses are included 
in the cost of materials or supplies. 
2. Administrative charge disclosure. A transmission and distribution utility with 
over 50,000 customers shall disclose any administrative charges included in a customer bill 
for work funded directly by that customer. If any line item in a customer bill includes an 
administrative charge, the customer bill must specifically identify the administrative charge 
and include a description of the charge. All administrative charges must comply with the 
requirements of section 301, subsection 2 and any other applicable provisions of this Title. 
3. Violations. If the commission finds that a transmission and distribution utility with 
over 50.000 customers has violated any provision of this section or improperly assessed an 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
of::> 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT «A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 756, L.D. 1949 
administrative charge, the commission may order the transmission and distribution utility 
to refund all or part of the administrative charge paid by the customer. 
4, Rules. The commission may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted 
by the commission pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 
5. chapter 375. subchapter 2-A.' 1 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Pru.i letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment amends Committee Amendment 
11A
to: 
1. Limit the definition of "administrative charge" to the cost of materials, supplies or 
labor for work funded directly by a customer of the utility, except when the costs are 
included in the cost of labor; 
2. Require the administrative charge to be just and reasonable; 
3. Allow the Public Utilities Commission to require a transmission and distribution 
utility to refund all or pru.i of the administrative charge paid by a customer if the utility 
violates the limitation on administrative charges; 
4. Allow instead of require the commission to adopt rules; and 
5, Eliminate the requirements as proposed in the bill and amended by Committee 
Amendment 
11A
that the commission initiate proceedings to investigate administrative 
charges and report to the Legislature every 5 years, 
SPONSOREDBY: ~ 
l/'----
(Representative W ~N, S.) 
TOWN: Scarborough 
HOUSE AMENDMENT