An Act To Expand Net Energy Billing

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3209-A  is enacted to read:

§ 3209-A.  Net energy billing

The commission may adopt or amend rules governing net energy billing. Rules adopted or amended under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. "Net energy billing" means a billing and metering practice under which a customer is billed on the basis of net energy over the billing period taking into account accumulated unused kilowatt-hour credits from the previous billing period.

Sec. 2. Amendment of rules. The Public Utilities Commission shall amend its Rule Chapter 313 governing net energy billing to direct transmission and distribution utilities to develop term lengths for contracts for net energy billing and interconnection agreements for a length of time not to exceed 10 years that will not prevent owners or operators of eligible facilities with an installed capacity of at least 100 kilowatts but no greater than 660 kilowatts from securing reasonable financing, as determined by the commission, for the construction, renovation or upgrade of the eligible facility.