An Act to Clarify the Public Utilities Commission's Authority to Establish Time-of-use Pricing for Standard-offer Service

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STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 119 - L.D. 186
An Act to Clarify the Public Utilities Commission's Authority to Establish
Time-of-use Pricing for Standard-offer Service
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3212, sub-§4-B, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 677, Pt. B, §2, is
amended to read:
4-B. Demand response and energy efficiency. The commission may incorporate
cost-effective demand response, including the use of time-of-use pricing, and energy
efficiency into the supply of standard-offer service. The commission shall encourage
entities based in this State that are not otherwise either a standard-offer service provider or
its affiliate to participate in supplying cost-effective demand response or energy efficiency
pursuant to this subsection.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3212, sub-§4-C, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 677, Pt. B, §2, is
amended to read:
4-C. Authority to establish various contract lengths and terms. For the purpose of
providing over a reasonable time period the lowest price for standard-offer service to
residential and small commercial customers, the commission, with respect to residential
and small commercial standard-offer service, may, in addition to incorporating cost-
effective demand response, including the use of time-of-use pricing, and energy efficiency
pursuant to subsection 4‑B and to the extent authorized in section 3210‑C, incorporating
the energy portion of any contracts entered into pursuant to section 3210‑C, establish
various standard-offer service contract lengths and terms.
Sec. 3. Public Utilities Commission; time-of-use rates updates. The Public
Utilities Commission shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the
Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters that describes the process
for participation in a commission proceeding and includes any other relevant information
as determined by the commission:
1. Upon issuance of a report, if a report is issued, in Public Utilities Commission
Docket No. 2024-00231; and
APPROVED
JUNE 9, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
196
PUBLIC LAW
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2. Prior to the initiation of an adjudicatory proceeding to establish time-of-use rates for
the provision of standard-offer service pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A,
section 3212.
If the Public Utilities Commission submits a report in accordance with subsection 2
prior to the initiation of an adjudicatory proceeding to establish time-of-use rates for the
provision of standard-offer service, the report must include a description of how the Public
Utilities Commission will consider the potential effects of time-of-use rates on the types of
residential customers described in section 4.
Sec. 4. Considerations; time-of-use rates proceeding. In an adjudicatory
proceeding to establish time-of-use rates for the provision of standard-offer service
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3212, the Public Utilities
Commission shall consider the impact of time-of-use rates and seek to avoid negative
impacts of time-of-use rates on:
1. Residential customers who rely on life support systems;
2. Residential customers who receive assistance from the State due to a medical
condition and are participants in Central Maine Power's Electricity Lifeline Program or
Versant Power's LifeLight Program or successor programs;
3. Residential customers who are senior citizens; and
4. Economically vulnerable residential customers.