An Act Regarding Assistance to Low-income Customers of Gas Utilities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §4706-A, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 664, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §4706-B is enacted to read:
§ 4706-B. Assistance programs for low-income customers
1. Programs. Each gas utility in the State that serves 5,000 or more residential customers shall offer low-income assistance programs for residential customers who satisfy criteria for low-income assistance as established by the commission in rule. To the maximum extent possible, a gas utility, in adopting and implementing a low-income assistance program under this section, shall seek to encourage conservation in the use of gas by program participants.
2. Cost recovery. The commission shall include in rates for a gas utility all costs incurred in compliance with this section and commission rules adopted under this section, as long as such costs have been prudently incurred.
3. Rules. The commission may adopt rules necessary to implement this section. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
4. Report. The commission shall report on low-income assistance programs offered by gas utilities pursuant to this section within the annual report required under section 120.
Effective September 12, 2009