An Act to Align Long-range Grid Strategy with the State Energy
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2113
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: RUNTE
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3147, 35-A MRSA §3147-A

Legislative Document
No. 2113
H.P. 1428
House of Representatives, January 7, 2026
An Act to Align Long-range Grid Strategy with the State Energy 
Plan and Strengthen Integrated Grid Planning
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RUNTE of York.
Cosponsored by Representative: SACHS of Freeport, Senator: LAWRENCE of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3147, sub-§4, ¶D, as amended by PL 2025, c. 293, §4 and 
affected by §8, is further amended by amending subparagraph (7) to read:
(7)  Consideration of the use of low-voltage sensors to improve grid monitoring 
capacity, including data related to grid power quality, transformer status and 
distributed energy resource capacity by location; and
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3147, sub-§4, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 702, §8, is 
amended to read:
E.  Reference and incorporate, as appropriate, all relevant analysis conducted as part 
of the State's climate action plan under Title 38, section 577 and relevant information 
from reports and analysis completed by other state agencies and quasi-independent 
state entities.; and
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §3147, sub-§4, ¶F is enacted to read:
F.  Be consistent with the relevant recommendations developed pursuant to section 
3147-A.
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §3147-A is enacted to read:
§3147-A.  Long-range grid planning
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, the following terms have the following 
meanings. 
A.  “Department” means the Department of Energy Resources.
B.  “External expert” means an individual or entity with technical or policy expertise 
in electric grid architecture, distributed energy resources, demand management and 
flexibility, nonwires alternatives, capital-efficient planning or grid‑enhancing 
technologies.
C.  “Long-range grid plan” or “plan” means a 10-year plan developed by the 
department and submitted to the commission for adoption that provides a roadmap for 
modernization, reliability and resilience of the State’s electric grid and is consistent 
with section 3147 and the state energy plan developed by the department pursuant to 
section 10305, subsection 1.
2.  Long-range grid plan.  By August 1, 2026, and every 5 years thereafter, the 
department shall develop a long-range grid plan as an adjunct to the state energy plan. The 
long-range grid plan must be consistent with the integrated grid planning process 
established under section 3147 and must include:
A.  The integration of nonwires alternatives, demand management and flexibility and 
distributed energy resources and grid-enhancing technologies;
B.  An evaluation of modular, capital-efficient and performance-based investments that 
maximize the value of existing electric grid assets before new capital expenditures are 
authorized, consistent with the requirements of sections 3132-A, 3147 and 3195;
C.  Strategies for climate adaptation, storm resilience, electrification and improved 
hosting capacity; and
D.  Measurable objectives and performance indicators for distribution system 
modernization, capital efficiency and resilience.
In developing the plan, the department may engage consultants. To the greatest extent 
practicable, the department shall engage consultants with knowledge of the State’s electric 
grid or regulation of the electric industry in the State.
3.  Expert input.  In developing the plan, the department shall:
A.  Convene technical advisory panels composed of external experts, as necessary, to 
provide input on modeling, distributed energy resources integration, efficient use of 
capital, demand management and flexibility and resilience strategies. The department 
shall establish the scope and tasks of each technical advisory panel and ensure all 
recommendations relevant to integrated distribution planning are included in the 
planning docket submitted by the department to the commission for consideration of 
adoption; and
B.  Consult with the commission, the Public Advocate and the Efficiency Maine Trust.
4.  Public input; stakeholder engagement.  The department shall seek public input 
and engage stakeholders throughout the process of developing the plan. The department 
may hold stakeholder workshops, technical conferences or public hearings in order to 
obtain input on the plan.
5.  Commission implementation.  The provisions of this subsection govern the 
implementation of the long-range grid plan. 
A.  After receiving the completed plan from the department and providing for a notice 
and comment period, the commission shall adopt the long-range grid plan by order.
B.  All subsequent electric utility rate cases under sections 301 and 307, capital 
investment plans under section 3132-A and integrated grid plans filed pursuant to 
section 3147 must demonstrate consistency with the long-range grid plan developed by 
the department and adopted by the commission.
C.  The commission may initiate investigations and rulemaking necessary to ensure 
consistency with the adopted plan. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
The adoption of the plan by the commission does not constitute preapproval of any specific 
project, investment or cost recovery. Each capital project or expenditure identified in the 
plan remains subject to separate review and prudence determinations required under this 
Title. 
6.  Performance-based regulatory mechanisms. The commission shall establish 
performance-based regulatory mechanisms to align electric utility incentives with the long-
range grid plan. Performance-based regulatory mechanisms must include financial 
incentives and penalties based on:
A.  Verified nonwires alternative performance and investment deferral value;
B.  Year-over-year improvements in distributed energy resource hosting capacity;
C.  The deployment of light capital and grid-enhancing technologies;
D.  Reliability and resilience benchmarks; and
E.  Future total cost-of-service reductions.
7.  Report.  Within 3 months of the commission's adoption of a plan, the department, 
in consultation with the commission, shall submit a report to the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utility matters that outlines the 
process to develop the long-range grid plan as part of the state energy plan, an overview of 
the long-range grid plan, any needed statutory changes and any other relevant information 
the commission determines is necessary. The committee may report out a bill related to the 
report.
Sec. 5.  Performance-based regulatory mechanism proposals.  An electric 
utility shall file performance-based regulatory mechanism proposals along with the next 
general rate case required following the adoption of the first long-range grid plan pursuant 
to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3147-A.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Energy Resources to develop a long-range grid 
plan that provides a 10-year roadmap for the modernization, reliability and resilience of the 
State’s electric grid consistent with the state energy plan and the integrated grid planning 
overseen by the Public Utilities Commission. The bill requires the commission to establish 
performance-based regulatory mechanisms to align electric utility incentives with the long-
range grid plan and requires the department to submit a report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utility matters that 
outlines the process to develop the long-range grid plan as part of the state energy plan, an 
overview of the long-range grid plan, any needed statutory changes and any other relevant 
information the commission determines is necessary. It also requires electric utilities to file 
performance-based regulatory mechanism proposals along with the next general rate case 
required following the adoption of the long-range grid plan.