§5302. Payment of costs of relocating utility facilities underground in an urban renewal area
Any public utility, as defined in Title 35‑A, section 102, subsection 13, that is required to move or relocate its facilities from or in any traveled way because of the requirements of a development plan which is approved after February 23, 1978, under the procedures established for the approval of development plans, may not be required to install the relocated or any new facilities underground at its own expense, but shall be reimbursed from federal funds provided to implement these plans for the costs of placing utility facilities underground. The relocation costs subject to reimbursement may not exceed the cost of underground installation less the cost of providing the same service with the same capacity through a new overhead system. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
1. Determination of cost. In determining the amount of reimbursement, in the first instance, the public utility shall itemize for the administering authority of the development plan, the components of the utility's relocation costs and the cost of providing the same service with the same capacity through a new overhead system. If there is disagreement with respect to the reimbursement, the disagreement shall be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission which, after notice and hearings, shall determine the amount of the reimbursement.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
2. Federal reimbursement; lack of federal funds. The difference in costs, if any, between the underground and new overhead construction, qualifies for reimbursement to the administering authority from the Federal Government to the fullest extent allowed by law. If federal money is not available to refund a public utility for relocating its facilities as described in this section, the relocation costs shall be considered ordinary costs of business for rate-making purposes.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD).
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