§3210-A.__Electricity assessment; Maine Renewable Resource Fund

1.__Assessment.__Beginning January 1, 2004, a competitive electricity provider shall pay, in accordance with this section, an assessment on its retail sales of electricity in this State at the following rates:

A.__On retail sales of electricity generated using coal, 0.3__per kilowatt hour;

B.__On retail sales of electricity generated using oil, 0.2__per kilowatt hour; and

C.__On retail sales of electricity generated using natural gas, 0.1__per kilowatt hour.

2.__Quarterly reports.__A competitive electricity provider shall file with the commission, on a quarterly basis established by the commission, a report in such form as the commission may prescribe that states the amount of all sales subject to assessment under this section made during the preceding quarter and any other information the commission requires.

3.__Payment of assessment; audit.__The assessment required under this section must be paid at the same time as the filing of the report required under subsection 2. The commission may by rule establish procedures to audit competitive electricity providers as necessary to ensure compliance with this section.

4.__Deposit.__All money received by the commission pursuant to this section must be deposited in the fund established in subsection 5 and be used by the commission in accordance with subsection 6.

5.__Fund established.__There is established the Maine Renewable Resource Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund."__The fund is a nonlapsing fund administered by the commission.__The fund receives revenues generated from the assessment imposed under this section.__All interest on fund balances must be credited to the fund.

6.__Use of fund.__The commission shall establish by rule in accordance with this subsection a program to use the fund to reduce the cost to consumers of electric energy generated in this State using eligible renewable resources.__For purposes of this subsection, "eligible renewable resources" has the same meaning as in section 3210, subsection 2.__The commission may use up to