An Act to Reduce
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2140
Committee Amendment CA_A_S584 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^ " to S,P. 858, L.D. 2140, "An Act to Reduce
Household Energy Costs in Response to Federal Cuts"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following;
'Resolve, to Establish a Demand Response Program to Lower Electric Bills and
Improve Grid Reliability*
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following:
'See. 1. Demand response program; established. Resolved: That the
Efficiency Maine Trust, referred to in this resolve as "the trust," currently administering
behind-the-meter demand management programs in the State, shall establish the demand
response program, referred to in this resolve as "the program," to encourage electricity
customers to reduce their consumption of electricity during periods of peak demand to help
lower their electric bills and improve grid reliability, The trust shall administer the program
through the end of fiscal year 2027-28. The trust may extend the program beyond that date,
in its discretion, if such an extension is proposed and approved in the trust's next triennial
plan pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Tile 35-A, section 10104, subsection 4.
Sec. 2. Savings and reliability through reduction of peak demand.
Resolved: That, as a part of the pt'ogram, the trust shall develop an outreach and education
campaign to increase participation in the State's transmission and distribution utilities opt"
in tnne-of-use rates to encourage shifting electricity consumption to off-peak periods. The
trust may not require an electricity customer to participate in the program. The program
must be designed to focus on savings opportunities most appropriate for the State's
electrical loads, grid planning and climate.
Sec. 3. Accessibility. Resolved: That the program must be designed to provide
outreach and education to renters, low-income electricity customers and customers having
the greatest potential for peak-demand electricity usage reductions, as determined by the
trust, and the trust shall prioritize outreach and education for low-income electricity
customers,
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "^ " to S.P, 858. L,D, 2140^5-5'^1/)
20<0
Sec. 4. Collaboration. Resolved: That the trust shall collaborate with the State's
transmission and distribution utilities, the Public Utilities Commission, the Office of the
Public Advocate, the Department of Energy Resources, as well as the public, and public
interest organizations, including, but not limited to, community action agencies, by seeking
input on the design of the program. The transmission and distribution utilities sliall provide
assistance in delivering information about tlie program to potential program participants.
The transmission and distribution utilities shall provide customer data and other
information to the trust necessary for program assessment and enhancing participation in
the progt'am.
Sec. 5. Report. Resolved: That the trust shall assess the efficacy and cost-
effectiveness of the program and, by February 28,2028, submit a report to the joint standing
committee of the Legisiature having jurisdiction over energy matters regarding its
assessment, Tlie trust shall include in tlie report any challenges it encountered in
administering the program and any opportunities the trust identifies for improving and
expanding efforts to shift electricity consumption to off-peak periods and to help lower
electricity bills and improve grid reliability.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill witli a resolve. It requires the Efficiency Maine Trust
to establish the demand response program to encourage electricity customers to reduce their
consumption of electricity during periods of peak demand to help lower their electric bills
and improve grid reliability, The program must be designed to provide outreach and
education to renters, low-income electricity customers and customers having the greatest
potential for peak-demand electricity usage reductions, and the trust is required to prioritize
outreach and education for low-income electricity customers. The trust must assess the
efficacy and cost-effeotiveness of the program and, by February 28, 2028, submit a report
to tlie joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy matters
regarding its assessment,
FISCAL NOTE REQTORED
(See attached)
Page2-132LR2931(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 03/19/26 t-Ki.
LD 2140 LR 2931(02)
An Act to Reduce Household Energy Costs in Response to Federal Cuts
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '^.'y ^<^LI}
Committee! Energy, Utilities and Technology
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - Efficiency Maine Trust
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the various agencies impacted by the provisions of this bill are anticipated to be minor and can
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources,
LR2931(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1