Code of Maine Rules › 65 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › 407 - PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › Chapter 140 - UTILITY SERVICE AREA AND INFRASTRUCTURE MAPS › Section 407-140-2 - SERVICE AREA, EXCHANGE, AND WIRE CENTER BOUNDARY MAPS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. Requirement to File Service Area Maps. All
				utilities subject to the requirements of this Chapter (except IXCs) must
				develop and maintain current service area maps of the areas in which they are
				authorized to provide service, including any operating or administrative
				districts, and local telephone service exchange and wire center boundaries for
				exchanges with more than one wire center. Service area maps must clearly show
				the complete boundary of the subject area of the map, and minor civil division
				boundaries and all major geographic features such as roads and water bodies
				that will aid in determining the location of the boundaries and customers. Maps
				must be filed in both paper and electronic (GIS) form as provided in §
									2(F) below.
1. Effective Date
All service area maps filed with the Commission must state
				  the effective date and the Commission Docket, if any, of the most recent
				  proceeding in which the map was updated, or any law amending a utility's
				  charter, and the Administrative Director must add the effective date of the
				  current map and the Commission Docket of the proceeding, if any, that approves
				  the map. In the event of a conflict between a service area map and a utility's
				  charter or Commission order, the charter or order will govern.
2. Terms and Conditions
The service areas and telephone exchange and wire center
				  boundaries shown on the maps required by §§
											2(B),
				  2(C), and
				  2(D) below must be
				  part of a utility's terms and conditions. The maps must be publicly available
				  as required by
				   35-A M.R.S.A.
				  §305, but may be kept separate from the
				  main body of a utility's terms and conditions.
3. Specific Requirements for Electric
				Transmission and Distribution Utilities, Gas Utilities, and Water Utilities
a. For any minor civil division in which the
				boundaries of the authorized service area of an electric transmission and
				distribution utility, a gas utility, or a water utility, or other boundaries
				described above, are not coincident with the minor civil division boundaries,
				the utility must file maps of that service area meeting requirements of
				§§
											1(C) and
				1(D) above. No later
				than the date that a utility must file distribution infrastructure maps
				pursuant to §
											3(F) below, that
				utility's service area maps must additionally show the area in which utility
				actually provides service, as determined by the farthest extent of its
				distribution facilities that are or that can be used to provide service to
				consumers.
b. For minor civil
				divisions where the boundaries of the authorized service area of the utility
				are coterminous with the minor civil division boundaries or includes the entire
				minor civil division, the utility may list those minor civil divisions in its
				terms and conditions in lieu of filing a map. The utility must state whether it
				actually provides service in each of the minor civil divisions listed, as
				determined by the farthest extent of its distribution facilities that are or
				that can be used to provide service to consumers.
c. For minor civil divisions in which other
				boundaries described above are coterminous with the minor civil division
				boundaries or includes the entire minor civil division, the utility may provide
				a list of those minor civil divisions with its service area maps in lieu of
				filing a map. The utility must state whether it actually provides service in
				each of the minor civil divisions listed, as determined by the farthest extent
				of its distribution facilities that are or that can be used to provide service
				to consumers.
4.
				Specific Requirements for Local Exchange Carriers. Except as provided in §
										2(A)(5) below, local
				exchange utilities must file a map or set of maps that show the boundaries of
				each utility's local exchanges and, if an exchange contains more than one wire
				center, the wire center boundaries. It is not necessary for local exchange
				carriers to file a separate map or maps that show the utility's overall service
				area. No later than the date that a utility must file distribution
				infrastructure maps pursuant to §
										3(F) below, that
				utility's service area maps must additionally show the area in which utility
				actually provides service, as determined by the farthest extent of its
				distribution facilities that are or that can be used to provide service to
				consumers, as determined by the farthest extent of its distribution facilities
				that are or that can be used to provide service to consumers.
5. Exception for Competitive Local Exchange
				Carriers. A local exchange telephone utility that is not an incumbent local
				exchange carrier as defined in 47 U.S.C. §251(h) is not required to file
				the maps required by §
										2(A)(4) above, but
				must instead file a description in its terms and conditions:
a. for any service area authorized by the
				Commission for either facilities-based or resale service that is statewide or
				that is defined by the service area(s) or exchange boundaries of one or more
				incumbent local exchange carrier(s); or
b. of any exchange whose boundaries are
				defined in its terms and conditions as coterminous with the boundaries of
				specified telephone exchange(s) or wire center(s) of an incumbent local
				exchange carrier.