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An Act To Allow a Local Distributed Energy Pilot Program
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3475  is enacted to read:
§ 3475. Solar partnership pilot program
The commission shall establish a pilot program to encourage municipal and private partnerships to develop solar array photovoltaic systems that provide public benefits.
 
1.  Program participation.     Participation in the pilot program is governed by the following:
 
A.  A municipality and a developer of a solar array photovoltaic system wishing to participate in the program shall petition the commission;
 
B.  The proposed solar array photovoltaic system, which may be owned by an entity other than the municipality, must be located entirely in the municipality that petitions the commission; and
 
C.  The total generating capacity of all solar array photovoltaic systems participating in the pilot program may not exceed 15 megawatts.
 
2.  Program elements.     Under the pilot program, notwithstanding any other provision of this Title, but in accordance with rules adopted by the commission:
 
A.  Up to 2.5 megawatts of energy produced by the solar array photovoltaic system may be supplied under a net energy billing arrangement, as defined in section 3209-A, to meet the energy requirements of the municipality and any public schools located in the municipality in which the solar array photovoltaic system is located; and
 
B.  Costs to a transmission and distribution utility directly resulting from the pilot program are just and reasonable costs for ratemaking purposes.
 
3.  Rules.     The commission shall adopt rules governing the pilot program. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
4.  Report.     As part of its annual report submitted pursuant to section 120, the commission shall include a summary of actions taken under this section and participation in the pilot program and any recommendations regarding modifying or expanding the pilot program.
 
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a pilot program to encourage municipal and private partnerships to develop solar array photovoltaic systems that provide public benefits. The total generating capacity of all solar array photovoltaic systems participating in the pilot program may not exceed 15 megawatts. Under the pilot program, up to 2.5 megawatts of energy produced by the solar array photovoltaic system may be supplied under a net energy billing arrangement to meet the energy requirements of the municipality and any public schools located in the municipality in which the solar array photovoltaic system is located. All costs to a transmission and distribution utility directly resulting from the pilot program are just and reasonable costs for ratemaking purposes.