An Act To Protect Maine Residents and Businesses from Rising Electricity Costs

CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to establish a task force to examine the cost of the delivery of electricity to homes and businesses in this State and the factors that may cause this cost to rise, including, but not limited to, requests by electric utilities for rate increases, the recovery of costs incurred by electric utilities for recent storm restoration efforts and the possibility that ratepayers in this State may be required to pay a portion of the cost for new transmission lines to meet the demand for power in Massachusetts.

The task force would include among its members representatives of consumers, producers, electric utilities, the Governor's Energy Office, the Public Utilities Commission and the Office of the Public Advocate and Legislators. The task force would report its findings, including a proactive and comprehensive approach to protect residents and businesses in this State from rising electricity costs, to the Governor and the Legislature.