An Act To Remove Obsolete Provisions of the Electric Industry Restructuring Laws

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3213,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 691, §8, is repealed.

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3216,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 398, Pt. M, §§1 and 2 and affected by §3, is repealed.

Sec. 3. Transfer of funds. The Public Utilities Commission shall transfer any remaining balance in the Public Utilities Commission Consumer Education Fund, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, former section 3213, subsection 3, to the General Fund.

summary

This bill repeals provisions of the electric industry restructuring laws that:

1. Require electric utilities to issue unbundled bills to consumers that state the cost of the electricity separately from the cost of the transmission and distribution of that electricity;

2. Establish a consumer education program, and a funding mechanism for that program, regarding the implementation of retail competition in the State's retail electricity markets and its impact on consumers. The program was time limited and has concluded. The Public Utilities Commission is directed to transfer any remaining balance in the Public Utilities Commission Consumer Education Fund to the General Fund; and

3. Require each investor-owned utility to prepare a plan for providing transition services and benefits for employees who were employed by the utility on January 1, 1998 and are laid off due to retail competition, which is defined as, absent other just cause, a layoff that occurs after March 1, 2000 and before December 31, 2001. This provision is no longer necessary since that date has been reached.