When the commission determines a nonwires alternative is appropriate under section 3132, 3132?A or 3132?B, the nonwires alternative must be prudently procured in accordance with this section. [PL 2023, c. 355, §13 (AMD).]
1. Behind the meter alternatives. For a nonwires alternative on the customer side of the meter, the investor-owned transmission and distribution utility shall contract with the Efficiency Maine Trust to deliver the nonwires alternative through the trust’s programs.

[PL 2019, c. 298, §15 (NEW).]

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 35-A Sec. 3132-D

  • Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 35-A Sec. 102
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Customer: includes any person, government or governmental division which has applied for, been accepted and is currently receiving service from a public utility. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 35-A Sec. 102
  • Nonwires alternative: includes but is not limited to energy efficiency and conservation measures, energy storage, load management, demand response and distributed generation. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 35-A Sec. 3131
  • Transmission and distribution utility: means a person, its lessees, trustees or receivers or trustees appointed by a court, owning, controlling, operating or managing a transmission and distribution plant for compensation within the State, except where the electricity is distributed by the entity that generates the electricity through private property alone solely for the use of:
2. Grid-side alternatives. For a nonwires alternative on the grid side of the meter, the commission shall determine an entity, which may include but is not limited to the investor-owned transmission and distribution utility or a 3rd party, to deliver the nonwires alternative and shall make orders as necessary.

[PL 2023, c. 355, §14 (AMD).]

An investor-owned transmission and distribution utility’s prudently incurred costs to deliver nonwires alternatives directly or under contract with the Efficiency Maine Trust or a 3rd party are recoverable in rates. For purposes of this section, prudently incurred costs do not include a financial or performance incentive for the utility. [PL 2019, c. 298, §15 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY

PL 2019, c. 298, §15 (NEW). PL 2023, c. 355, §§13, 14 (AMD).