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An Act Concerning Electricity Customers Whose Bills Increase as a Result of the Implementation of Energy Conservation or Energy Efficiency Measures
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §301, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1993, c. 506, §1, is further amended to read:
 
4. Determining rates. In determining just and reasonable rates, the commission:
 
A.  Shall provide such revenues to the utility as may be required to perform its public service and to attract necessary capital on just and reasonable terms; and
 
B.  Shall, to a level within the commission's discretion, consider whether the utility is operating as efficiently as possible and is utilizing sound management practices, including the treatment in rates of executive compensation.; and
 
C.  Shall ensure that there is no increase in a customer's bill as a result of that customer's reduction in demand or consumption of electricity attributable to the implementation of energy conservation or energy efficiency measures.
 
SUMMARY
The purpose of this bill is to address situations in which electricity customers in certain rate classes have seen their electricity bills go up significantly even though their electricity consumption has declined following their implementation of energy conservation and energy efficiency measures. This bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that there is no increase in an electricity customer's bill as a result of that customer's reduction in demand or consumption of electricity attributable to the implementation of energy conservation or energy efficiency measures.