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An Act Regarding Utility Line Extensions
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §314, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 1, §44, is amended by adding before subsection 1 a new paragraph to read:
Except as otherwise provided in section 316, this section governs private line extensions.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §315, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 484, §1, is amended by adding before subsection 1 a new paragraph to read:
Except as otherwise provided in section 316, this section governs transmission and distribution utility line extension construction.
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §316  is enacted to read:
§ 316. Utility line extensions to developments; cost sharing
The commission by rule shall establish requirements for transmission and distribution utilities to share the cost of utility line extensions to developments in accordance with this section.
 
1.  Definition.     For the purposes of this section, "development" means property owned by a person, entity or association for the purpose of creating a subdivision as defined in Title 30-A, section 4401, subsection 4.
 
2.  Cost sharing required.     Rules adopted pursuant to this section must require a transmission and distribution utility to pay the cost of a portion of a line extension to a development as follows:
 
A.  For a utility-constructed line extension, the utility shall provide a predetermined portion of the line extension free of charge to the owner of the development; and
 
B.  For a privately constructed line extension, the utility shall provide a credit or reimbursement to the owner of the development upon transfer of ownership of the line extension to the utility, in an amount equivalent to the amount that would have been provided free of charge under paragraph A.
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
SUMMARY
This bill proposes to require transmission and distribution utilities to share the cost of utility line extensions to subdivision developments. The bill directs the Public Utilities Commission, by rule, to require transmission and distribution utilities to cover the cost of a portion of a line extension either by providing a portion of the line extension free of charge, in the case of utility construction of the line extension, or providing a credit or reimbursement upon transfer of ownership of the line extension to the utility, in the case of a privately constructed line extension.