Sec. 4. Reimbursement. Central Maine Power Company shall reimburse customers who were charged for line extensions pursuant to the revised terms and conditions approved by the commission in its order of November 10, 1999 in Docket Number 99-042. Within 30 days of the effective date of this Act, the Public Utilities Commission shall open a proceeding to establish the mechanism by which Central Maine Power Company will reimburse customers. Costs incurred by Central Maine Power Company to reimburse customers pursuant to this section, to pay for line extensions and to reimburse customers pursuant to section 3 of this Act, are just and reasonable expenses for rate-making purposes. The commission shall determine the manner in which these costs may be recovered by Central Maine Power Company through rates. The commission may issue appropriate orders to accomplish the purposes of this section.

SUMMARY

This bill does the following.

1. It voids the Public Utilities Commission order of November 10, 1999 in Docket Number 99-042 and reinstates Central Maine Power Company's terms and conditions relating to single-phase overhead line extensions in effect prior to the order.

2. It requires Central Maine Power Company to connect to a single-phase overhead line constructed by or at the expense of a customer if that line meets all relevant safety and electrical standards for connection to the system. It also requires Central Maine Power Company, if it acquires ownership of such line, to pay the customer at whose expense the line was constructed full and fair compensation for the costs of construction and all reasonable repair and maintenance costs paid for by the customer prior to acquisition by Central Maine Power Company.

3. It requires the commission to open a proceeding to establish a mechanism under which Central Maine Power Company reimburses customers who were charged for line extensions pursuant to the revised terms and conditions approved by the commission in its order of November 10, 1999 in Docket Number

99-042. It also requires the commission to determine how the costs of such reimbursement and of future line extensions and of reimbursing customers for the costs of line extensions paid for by customers are to be recovered through rates.