An Act To Amend the Community-based Renewable Energy Program
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3602, sub-§3-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3603, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 454, §3, is further amended to read:
(1) Have an installed a net generating capacity of less than 100 kilowatts; or
(2) Are located in the service territory of a consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility.
The commission may modify the amount of net generating capacity reserved under this paragraph based on program experience.
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §3609, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 329, Pt. A, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §3610 is enacted to read:
§ 3610. Project deadline; completion deadline
The commission may not issue an order after December 31, 2015 directing an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility to enter into a long-term contract under this chapter nor allow a consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility to enter into a long-term contract under this chapter. All community-based renewable energy projects that have been selected for a long-term contract must become operational and commence generating electricity by December 31, 2018.
Sec. 5. Viability assessment; request for proposals. The Public Utilities Commission shall review all certified program participant projects under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3603 that have not yet reached commercial operations to determine whether the projects are reasonably likely to achieve commercial operations within a 3-year period. For those projects the commission determines will not be viable within a 3-year period, the commission must revoke any contract awarded, but the project may still remain certified. To the extent there is less capacity remaining than is allowed under Title 35-A, section 3603, subsection 2 after the removal of nonviable projects, the commission shall conduct an expedited request for proposals to select community-based renewable energy projects to become program participants and enter into long-term contracts. A project under this process may not elect to choose the renewable energy credit multiplier incentive under Title 35-A, section 3605, and those projects that are operational and have elected the renewable energy credit multiplier do not count towards the 50-megawatt cap on net generating capacity under Title 35-A, section 3603, subsection 2. The commission shall select the projects that provide the most benefit to ratepayers and that have contract pricing levels below 10¢ per kilowatt hour within each contract year. To the maximum extent practicable, the commission must select projects to provide for a total net generating capacity for all projects to meet the maximum allowance under Title 35-A, section 3603, subsection 2 of 50 megawatts.