PRIA Logo™
MaineLD 186132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)House

An Act to Clarify the Public Utilities Commission's Authority to Establish Time-of-use Pricing for Standard-offer Service

Sponsored By: Walter Runte (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONPUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - POWERS

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Protections for vulnerable customers under time-of-use

When setting time-of-use rates for the default electricity supply, the Public Utilities Commission must consider the impacts on certain residents. It must seek to avoid harm to people who rely on life-support systems. It must also protect people on state medical assistance who are in Central Maine Power’s Electricity Lifeline Program or Versant Power’s LifeLight Program, or successor programs. Seniors and economically vulnerable households are also protected.

Utility regulators must report on time-of-use

The Public Utilities Commission must send a report to the Legislature’s utilities and energy committee. It must transmit this if it issues a report in Docket No. 2024-00231. Before starting a case to set time-of-use rates for the default supply, it must also send a report. That report must explain how it will consider effects on people who use life-support equipment, participants in the Electricity Lifeline or LifeLight programs, seniors, and economically vulnerable customers.

Time-of-use pricing for default power

The Public Utilities Commission can add time-of-use pricing to the default electricity supply (standard-offer service). It can include cost-effective demand response and energy efficiency to shift or cut electricity use. For residential and small business default service, it can set different contract lengths and terms to aim for the lowest average price over a reasonable time. It may also include the energy portion of certain state contracts allowed by law. The commission must encourage Maine-based groups that are not the default suppliers or their affiliates to take part.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Walter Runte

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Mark W. Lawrence

    Democratic • Senate

  • Melanie Sachs

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 171 • No: 149

Senate vote • 6/2/2025

ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT

Yes: 20 • No: 14

House vote • 6/2/2025

Enactment

Yes: 74 • No: 66

House vote • 5/29/2025

ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP

Yes: 77 • No: 69

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 196

    6/9/2025

  2. PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.

    6/2/2025Senate

  3. PASSED TO BE ENACTED. ROLL CALL NO. 253(Yeas 74 - Nays 66 - Absent 11 - Excused 0)Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    6/2/2025House

  4. Reports ReadOn motion by Senator LAWRENCE of York the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 281 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (H-318) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-318) in concurrence.

    6/2/2025Senate

  5. Reports READ.On motion of Representative SACHS of Freeport, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 240(Yeas 77 - Nays 69 - Absent 5 - Excused 0)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-318) 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-318). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    5/29/2025House

  6. Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.

    3/21/2025House

  7. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY in concurrence

    1/14/2025Senate

  8. 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.

    1/14/2025House

Bill Text

  • Amendment C-A (H-318), adopted by House & Senate

    PDF

  • Enacted

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation