124th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 147		LR 425(02)
	An Act To Facilitate the Protection of Electric Utility Consumer Interests in Public Utility Commission Cases Involving the Construction, Rebuilding or Relocating of Transmission Lines
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "   "
	Committee: Utilities and Energy
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			2009-10	2010-11	Projections 2011-12	Projections 2012-13
Appropriations/Allocations
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$500	$500	$500	$500
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill establishes a fee of 1/100 of 1% of the cost to erect, rebuild or relocate transmission lines, payable by a utility company to the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA). The OPA will utilize these funds to represent the interests of the utility consumers in proceedings before the commission or conducting public outreach about a project.  A provision allows the OPA to waive the fee. The OPA will submit a report to the Legislature detailing the accounting of the filing fees collected and expenditures.   Due to the infrequency of applications, a base allocation of $500 is established in anticipation of future projects.  When actual projects come online the allocation will be increased by financial order.