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Page 1 - 132LR0075(04)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
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S.P. 49 - L.D. 32
An Act Regarding the Interconnection Ombudsman Position at the Public
Utilities Commission
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §107, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 307, §1, is
further amended to read:
B. With the approval of the Attorney General, a general counsel; and
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §107, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2023, c. 307, §1, is
further amended to read:
C. An assistant administrative director; and.
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §107, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 307, §1, is
repealed.
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §107, sub-§2, ¶F, as repealed and replaced by PL 2025, c.
110, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §3474, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2023, c. 643, Pt. WWW,
§1, is further amended to read:
4. Interconnection ombudsman; fund. The commission shall designate an
interconnection ombudsman appointed pursuant to section 107, subsection 1 shall to assist
persons seeking interconnections governed by rules adopted under subsection 3. The
commission shall appoint an interconnection ombudsman who possesses designated by the
commission must possess technical expertise related to interconnection and interconnection
procedures.
A. The duties of the interconnection ombudsman include but are not limited to:
(1) Tracking interconnection disputes;
(2) Facilitating the efficient and fair resolution of disputes between customers
seeking to interconnect and investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities;
APPROVED
APRIL 13, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
680
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR0075(04)
(3) Reviewing investor-owned transmission and distribution utility
interconnection policies to assess opportunities for reducing interconnection
disputes;
(4) Convening stakeholder groups as necessary to facilitate effective
communication between interconnection stakeholders;
(5) Preparing reports that detail the number, type, resolution timeline and outcome
of interconnection disputes; and
(6) Any other technical or regulatory work involving public utilities.
B. The commission by rule shall establish a fee to be paid by persons seeking
interconnections to fund the interconnection ombudsman. Notwithstanding Title 5,
section 8071, rules adopted under this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
C. The interconnection ombudsman fund is established within the commission as a
nonlapsing fund for the purposes of offsetting costs for interconnection‑related
activities undertaken by the interconnection ombudsman pursuant to paragraph A,
subparagraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). The commission shall deposit all fees collected
under this subsection into the fund and all money in the fund must be used to fund the
interconnection ombudsman. In addition to the fees established in accordance with this
subsection, the fund may accept federal money and contributions from private and
public sources.
Any activities undertaken by the interconnection ombudsman pursuant to paragraph A,
subparagraph (6) must be funded in accordance with section 116.