# Maine LD 1726: An Act to Enhance the Coordination and Effectiveness of Integrated Distribution Grid Planning Maine LD 1726, An Act to Enhance the Coordination and Effectiveness of Integrated Distribution Grid Planning, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Walter Runte (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-12 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 293) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1726-132 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1726 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Enhance the Coordination and Effectiveness of Integrated Distribution Grid Planning - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-04-17 - Last action: 2025-06-12, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 293 - Sponsor: Walter Runte (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 7 - Subjects: ELECTRIC UTILITIES, ELECTRIC UTILITIES - PLANNING - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (94 yes, 82 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - PUC can use plans to pick projects: benefit, low. The Public Utilities Commission can use utility grid plan filings to design requests for proposals, score bids, and negotiate contracts. This helps the commission select projects that optimize grid capacity. This authority applies in competitive solicitations starting February 1, 2026. - Review to improve non-wires grid fixes: benefit, low. The Public Utilities Commission reviews the nonwires alternative investigation and recommendation process. It consults the Efficiency Maine Trust and the Office of the Public Advocate and takes stakeholder comments. The review looks at how this process is built into utility grid plans. A report wit… - Utilities must plan smarter with shared forecasts: benefit, low. Beginning February 1, 2026, utilities must file more detailed distribution grid plans. Plans include load and electrification forecasts, analysis of advanced conductors and grid‑enhancing technologies, and near‑term cost‑effective investments. Plans also assess environmental and equity impacts and… - Study flexible grid interconnection options: mixed, low. The Public Utilities Commission studies flexible interconnection options that let new energy projects connect with limits or conditions. The study reviews benefits, barriers, and any costs to customers who do not interconnect and ways to limit cost shifts. The PUC engages stakeholders, including th… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Walter Runte (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Christopher Kessler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kilton Webb (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mark W. Lawrence (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mathew McIntyre (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Melanie Sachs (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicole C. Grohoski (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sophia Warren (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-05 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | pass | 19 | 13 | | | 2025-06-04 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 75 | 69 | | ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-12: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 293 - 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-05: Reports ReadOn motion by Senator LAWRENCE of York the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 364 Yeas 19 - Nays 13 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (H-438) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-438) in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-04: Reports READ.On motion of Representative SACHS of Freeport, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 318(Yeas 75 - Nays 69 - Absent 7 - Excused 0)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-438) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-438). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-17: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-438), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (H-438), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1153&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1726-132 (as of 2026-10-19).