CHAPTER 141

H.P. 747 - L.D. 1030

An Act To Allow Consumer-owned Utilities To Purchase Power

at Negotiated Wholesale Rates, Terms and Conditions

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3207, sub-§1, ķA, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 316, §3, is amended to read:

A. May sell retail generation service only within their respective service territories, and are authorized to purchase electric power and energy at wholesale, provided that the consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility complies with the requirements of section 3203, subsection 3 and section 3210, subsection 3, and to purchase such transmission and related services as may be required to effect the delivery of such power and energy to their respective service territories; and

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3212, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 638, §2, is amended to read:

6. Consumer-owned utilities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the commission is not required to conduct a competitive bidding process or select a standard-offer service provider or providers for the territory of a consumer- owned transmission and distribution utility if the consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility chooses one or more standard-offer service providers for its territory through a competitive bidding process conducted in accordance with the commission's rules governing the selection and criteria for approval of a standard-offer service provider, or if the consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility enters into