Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §§3211-A and 3211-B are enacted to read:

§3211-A.__Energy Management Authority of Maine

1.__Authority established; purpose.__The Energy Management Authority of Maine, referred to in this section as the "authority," is established as a body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality of the State.__The exercise by the authority of its powers conferred by this chapter is deemed to be the performance of essential governmental functions.

The purpose of the authority is to further the general goals of this chapter with respect to retail competition for electricity supply service in a manner that ensures that electricity products available in the State achieve a positive impact on the State's environment and its economy.__In keeping with this purpose, the authority is mandated to develop and oversee a strategic plan and policy framework that provides that the State's air quality and environment is in no way degraded but rather improved as a result of the activities of participants in the State's competitive electricity market.

2.__Duties.__The authority shall:

A.__Coordinate the actions of state agencies that affect the consumption of energy with the objective of securing the environmental and economic benefits of electric restructuring;

B.__Create objectives and an overall energy strategy for statewide programs to be implemented by transmission and distribution utilities pursuant to section 3211, including program planning guidance that is sufficiently specific to provide the basis for bidding programs or alternative contractual arrangements when program requirements make such arrangements preferable for the achievement of program objectives.__The objectives and strategy shall be revised from time to time on a schedule to be determined by the authority;

C.__Review and approve proposed utility implementation plans, including proposed bidding programs, for consistency with the objectives, strategy and planning guidance established pursuant to paragraph B prior to implementation and monitor and evaluate implementation of programs by transmission and distribution utilities compared with the objectives, strategy and program planning guidance