An Act to Align the Schedules for Climate Change Protection Plans
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1240
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: SACHS
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3146, 35-A MRSA §3148

Legislative Document
No. 1240
H.P. 815
House of Representatives, March 25, 2025
An Act to Align the Schedules for Climate Change Protection Plans 
and Grid-enhancing Technology Reviews with the Integrated Grid 
Planning Process
Submitted by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Joint Rule 204.
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SACHS of Freeport.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3146, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 702, §7, is amended to read:
§3146.  Climate change protection plan
No later than December 31, 2023 May 1, 2027, and every 3 5 years thereafter, a 
transmission and distribution utility shall submit to the commission a 10-year plan that 
includes specific actions for addressing the expected effects of climate change on the 
utility's assets needed to transmit and distribute electricity to its customers. The commission 
shall provide a process to allow for the input from interested parties on the transmission 
and distribution utility's plan.  The commission may use the plan and the input received 
from interested parties in rate cases or other proceedings involving the transmission and 
distribution utility.
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3148, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 553, §1, is amended 
to read:
2.  Periodic review.  Beginning January 15, 2025 2027, and every 5 years thereafter, 
the commission shall conduct a review or update a previous review or contract with a 
consultant to conduct a review or update a previous review of available grid-enhancing 
technology that could be implemented by a large investor-owned transmission and 
distribution utility to reduce or defer the need for investment in grid infrastructure in the 
State. The commission may produce a report or contract with a consultant to produce a 
report describing the grid-enhancing technology identified in the review. The commission 
may file information or the report for use in rate cases or other proceedings involving a 
large investor-owned transmission and distribution utility, including the integrated grid 
planning proceeding required pursuant to section 3147, subsection 2.
Sec. 3.  2027 review of available grid-enhancing technology.  The review 
conducted in 2027 pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3148, 
subsection 2 must update the review conducted in 2025 by the Public Utilities Commission 
or a consultant of the commission of available grid-enhancing technology that could be 
implemented by a large investor-owned transmission and distribution utility to reduce or 
defer the need for investment in grid infrastructure in the State.
SUMMARY
This bill adjusts the time frame for the ongoing submission dates for certain reviews 
and reports required of transmission and distribution utilities and the Public Utilities 
Commission to align with the integrated grid planning process required pursuant to the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3147. 
The bill requires that, beginning May 1, 2027, and every 5 years thereafter, instead of 
every 3 years as in current law, a transmission and distribution utility is required to submit 
a 10-year plan that includes specific actions for addressing the expected effects of climate 
change on the utility's assets needed to transmit and distribute electricity to its customers. 
Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission to conduct a review, or contract 
with a consultant to conduct a review, related to available grid-enhancing technology every 
years beginning in 2025. The bill adjusts the schedule of reviews by requiring a review 
in 2027, and then every 5 years thereafter. The review conducted in 2027 must update the 
review conducted in 2025. The bill also adds language specifying that a review conducted 
pursuant to this provision of law may update an earlier review.