AUGUSTA – A public hearing on a legislative proposal aimed at encouraging Maine’s energy independence dragged on so long Thursday afternoon that another hearing was postponed.

The postponed hearing was on a bill requiring the state’s utilities to quit a regional power grid. That session for L.D. 1897, which directs the Public Utilities Commission to require the state’s transmission and distribution utilities to withdraw from the Independent System Operator, was rescheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday. The hearing will be held by the Legislature’s Utilities Committee, which meets in the Cross Office Building.

That bill follows the PUC’s earlier decision to walk out on ISO negotiations that are aimed at forcing electric consumers in Maine and other New England states to pay millions of dollars in higher bills to cover the cost of new generating facilities. Those facilities would help meet needs in more heavily populated states, but the ISO proposal would also have Mainers subsidizing electric rates for people in say, Hartford, Conn.

An exporter of electricity, Maine produces more power than it uses. The surplus is sold over the ISO grid.

In Thursday’s hearing, the Utilities Committee heard speakers endorse or oppose L.D. 1931, Sen. Philip Bartlett’s proposal to promote energy independence.

The bill would expand the Efficiency Maine programs, help schools improve their lighting systems, encourage adoption of a model building code that puts emphasis on energy efficiency, improve efficiency standards for furnaces and boilers, and make fuel-saving tires more readily available in the state.

Among those endorsing the measure were representatives of Lee Auto Malls and St. Mary’s and Central Maine hospitals in Lewiston.

Central Maine Power Co. and people representing larger, energy-dependent businesses questioned the fairness of increasing contributions to the Efficiency Maine program.

Under the bill, consumers would be charged 145 mills per kilowatt-hour to finance the program, which helps businesses and individuals plan and pay for energy-efficient lighting and appliances.

A work session on that measure will be scheduled later.

Copy the Story Link