Title 35-A

The officers of any municipality may annually appoint an inspector of meters, who shall: [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).] 1. Term. Serve for one year or until another is qualified in the inspector's stead, at a salary determined by the municipal officers; and 2. Duties. Have c…

The inspector of meters shall, upon written application as provided in section 2704 by a consumer of gas, water or electricity in the municipality inspect and ascertain the accuracy of any gas, water or electric meter. When the meter is found or made correct, the inspector shall …

1. Application for inspection. If a consumer applies in writing to the municipal clerk for the inspection of that consumer's meter, and deposits with the clerk the fee fixed by the municipal officers for this service, the inspector shall inspect and test the meter. 2. Removal of …

A person may not obtain utility services by deception, threat or force or any other means designed to avoid due payment for the services that the person knows are available only for compensation and a person may not, having control over the disposition of utility services of anot…

A person may not intentionally, knowingly or recklessly damage, destroy or tamper with property of a utility having no reasonable grounds to believe that the person has a right to do so if such conduct creates a risk of interruption or impairment of services rendered to the publi…

A person may not obtain or exercise unauthorized control over the property of a utility with intent to deprive the utility of the property. A person who violates this section is liable in a civil action to the utility owning the property affected for: [PL 2007, c. 553, §4 (NEW).]…

1. Determining rate-making treatment. In determining the rate-making treatment for a utility's investment in a canceled or abandoned electric generating facility or transmission or distribution plant, the commission shall balance the interests of the utility and ratepayers in a j…

1. Utilities required to provide minimum charge. Any transmission and distribution utility serving more than 5,000 customers that has a residential rate combining energy and demand costs in a single rate that neither declines nor increases, but is flat as consumption increases sh…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Investor-owned transmission and distribution utility" means a transmission and distribution utility other than a consumer-owned transmission and d…

A transmission and distribution utility shall conduct testing of its metering and billing systems in accordance with rules adopted by the commission. [PL 2017, c. 448, §2 (NEW).] 1. System accuracy; rulemaking. The commission shall amend or adopt rules governing the testing of th…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a transmission and distribution utility may develop and implement, upon approval of the commission, a program within its service territory to enable customers to access the benefits of efficient electric heat pumps as set forth in this …

1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Comparative usage data" means data regarding a customer's energy usage for the previous 24 months that compares each month's usage between the first 12 months and the 2nd 12 mon…

The commission by rule shall establish customer bill information requirements for investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities that: [PL 2019, c. 88, §1 (NEW); RR 2019, c. 1, Pt. A, §49 (RAL).] 1. Historical rate information. Require investor-owned transmission and dist…

Except as provided in subsection 3, the commission by rule shall establish service standards for transmission and distribution utilities in accordance with this section. [PL 2019, c. 104, §1 (NEW); RR 2019, c. 1, Pt. A, §50 (RAL).] 1. Service interruption reporting. The commissio…

1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Eligible military veterans' organization" means a military veterans' organization qualified under the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 United States Code, Section 501(c…

1. Current transmission and distribution utility rates. On January 1st of each year, the commission shall publish on the commission's publicly accessible website residential transmission and distribution utility rates and standard-offer supply rates applicable for the period of J…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).] 1. Domestic transmission and distribution utility. "Domestic transmission and distribution utility" means any entity organized …

Except as provided in subsection 1‑B, a person may not construct any transmission line covered by subsection 2 or rebuild or relocate any transmission line as investigated by the commission under subsection 3 unless the commission has issued a certificate of public convenience an…

A person may not construct any transmission project or subtransmission project without approval from the commission. For the purposes of this section, "transmission project" means any proposed new or upgraded transmission substation infrastructure that is capable of operating at …

For the purposes of this section, "small transmission project" means any proposed new or upgraded transmission line, substation component or associated infrastructure capable of operating at less than 69 kilovolts and projected to cost $5,000,000 or less. For the purposes of this…

1. Investigation required. The nonwires alternative coordinator shall conduct an investigation of and make recommendations regarding nonwires alternatives to a wires project under section 3132, 3132‑A or 3132‑B in accordance with this section. The investigation must be conducted …

When the commission determines a nonwires alternative is appropriate under section 3132, 3132‑A or 3132‑B, the nonwires alternative must be prudently procured in accordance with this section. [PL 2023, c. 355, §13 (AMD).] 1. Behind the meter alternatives. For a nonwires alternati…

1. Commission approval required for purchases. A transmission and distribution utility may not purchase any transmission capacity unless the commission has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity approving the purchase or has waived the approval requirements purs…

1. Certificate of public convenience and necessity. Except as provided in subsection 3, a transmission and distribution utility may not enter into any significant agreement or contract, as defined in subsection 2, unless the commission has issued a certificate of public convenien…

1. Regional transmission organization; definition. For the purposes of this section, "regional transmission organization" has the same meaning as in section 10102, subsection 8. 2. Participation mandatory. Except as provided in subsection 3, a transmission and distribution utilit…

1. Filing by transmission and distribution utilities. Every transmission and distribution utility in whose service territory total sales of electric energy for purposes other than resale exceeded 300,000,000 kilowatt hours during any calendar year may submit to the commission a l…

1. Connection with feed lines. A transmission and distribution utility may extend its lines to connect with the feed lines of any other transmission and distribution utility. The commission may fix such terms and conditions as will safeguard the rights and interests of both utili…

1. Land necessary for location of transmission lines carrying 5,000 volts. Subject to approval by the commission under subsection 4 and the requirements of subsection 6, if applicable, a transmission and distribution utility may take and hold by right of eminent domain lands and …

1. Domestic transmission and distribution utility may transmit electricity inside or outside this State. Notwithstanding any limitation imposed by its charter, each domestic transmission and distribution utility may transmit electricity and acquire and operate anywhere inside or …

Notwithstanding Title 14, chapter 719, any domestic transmission and distribution utility or foreign electric utility that acquires or owns a joint or common interest with one or more other utilities or other persons in any property that is used or acquired for use as a utility f…

1. Foreign electric utility to notify commission before acting within this State. A foreign electric utility shall, before constructing, purchasing, owning, controlling, operating, managing or otherwise participating in a joint or common interest in a utility facility within this…

1. Utility facilities owned by domestic transmission and distribution utility. All utility facilities, real and personal, situated within this State and owned by a domestic transmission and distribution utility are subject to assessment and taxation to the same extent and in the …

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Smart grid" means the integration of information and communications innovations and infrastructure, including nonwires alternatives, with the elec…

The commission, by rule or order, shall require each investor-owned transmission and distribution utility to establish an emergency response plan for recovery and restoration in response to an emergency in accordance with this section. The plan must be based on the United States …

The state goal for energy storage system development is at least 300 megawatts of installed capacity located within the State by December 31, 2025 and at least 400 megawatts of installed capacity located within the State by December 31, 2030. Beginning January 15, 2027, and every…

No later than May 1, 2027, and every 5 years thereafter, a transmission and distribution utility shall submit to the commission a 10-year plan that includes specific actions for addressing the expected effects of climate change on the utility's assets needed to transmit and distr…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Covered utility" means a large investor-owned transmission and distribution utility as defined in section 3201, subsection 12. [PL 2021, c. 702, §…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Grid-enhancing technology" means any hardware or software technology that enables enhanced or more efficient flow of electricity across the existi…

The commission may not approve a contract for energy resulting from a competitive solicitation conducted by the commission under this Title unless the contract includes a provision that requires the reduction of payments under the contract by the absolute value of the applicable …

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Electric Rate Reform Act."

1. Increased efficiency. The Legislature declares and finds that improvements in transmission and distribution utility rate design and related regulatory programs have great potential for reducing the cost of electric utility services to consumers, for encouraging energy conserva…

1. Proposals and programs developed. The commission, as it determines appropriate, shall order transmission and distribution utilities to develop and submit specific rate design proposals and related programs for implementing energy conservation and energy efficiency techniques a…

1. Rate design and conservation improvements. The commission shall mandate, after notice and hearing on the proposed schedule, a scheduled phasing-in of the improvements in transmission and distribution utility rate design and related regulatory programs submitted and approved un…

The Department of Attorney General may: [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).] 1. Make assessments. Make general factual assessments of the impact of proposed rate changes and other proposed regulatory actions upon all affected consumers; 2. Assist consumers. Assist consumers in the…

The commission may issue a certificate of approval for an electric rate stabilization agreement, following submission to it of an application for approval, in the form and with any supporting data as the commission may require. The commission shall issue or deny the certification…

This subchapter may be known and cited as the "Older Citizens Transmission and Distribution Service Policy."