Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 2: ENERGY PLANNING; CONSTRUCTION; PURCHASES
35-A §3147. Integrated grid planning

§3147. Integrated grid planning
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Covered utility" means a large investor-owned transmission and distribution utility as defined in section 3201, subsection 12. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
B. "Environmental justice" means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all persons regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, rules, regulations and policies. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
C. "Grid plan" means a 10-year integrated grid plan developed in accordance with this section designed to improve system reliability and resiliency and enable the cost-effective achievement of the greenhouse gas reduction obligations and climate policies pursuant to Title 38, section 576‑A and section 577, subsection 1. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
D. "Hosting capacity" means a threshold at a circuit at which new distributed energy resources will trigger upgrades or changes to the electrical distribution system and cost considerations of related upgrades and changes. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
2. Priorities identified; stakeholder input. Beginning November 1, 2022, then every 5 years thereafter, the commission shall initiate a proceeding to identify the priorities to be addressed in a filing by a covered utility regarding a grid plan that will assist in the cost-effective transition to a clean, affordable and reliable electric grid. The commission shall hold technical conferences or stakeholder workshops before the filing to identify priorities, assumptions, goals, methods and tools that will assist the covered utility in developing a grid plan.
[PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
3. Commission order. At the conclusion of the technical conferences and stakeholder workshops held under subsection 2, the commission shall issue an order directing a covered utility to submit a filing to the commission that addresses the priorities identified in the proceeding initiated pursuant to subsection 2 and includes the additional components identified in subsection 4.
[PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
4. Additional components; submission. A covered utility shall submit a filing to the commission within 18 months of the issuance of an order by the commission pursuant to subsection 3. In addition to addressing the priorities specified in the commission order, the filing must:
A. Assess the electric system of the covered utility and its relationship to the regional grid; [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
B. For elements of the filing related to customer energy consumption and usage characteristics, reference and incorporate relevant elements of the Efficiency Maine Trust triennial plan developed under section 10104, subsection 4, including all of the trust's analysis of cost-effective energy efficiency potential and plans to implement energy efficiency programs, demand management programs, beneficial electrification programs such as heat pump and electric vehicle initiatives, energy storage initiatives and analysis of nonwires alternatives; [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
C. Include at least 2 potential planning scenarios, at a minimum, a baseline scenario and a scenario of high-penetration distributed energy resources and end-use electrification. When applicable, the planning scenarios must incorporate mechanisms for achieving the priorities established pursuant to subsection 2, including, but not limited to, cost-effective policies, programs, rates, use of software or technology and infrastructure planning, including nonwires alternatives; [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
D. Include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Forecasts of projected load, including forecasts of end-use electrification, energy efficiency and distributed energy resources;
(2) Baseline energy supply data and assessments, including but not limited to planned generation retirements; new generation that is planned or needed, including generation of electricity from renewable sources; and energy storage installations;
(3) Analysis of hosting capacity, including locational benefits of distributed energy resources and areas of existing or potential system congestion;
(4) Analysis of available and emerging technologies necessary to enable load management and flexibility;
(5) An assessment of the environmental, equity and environmental justice impacts of grid plans; and
(6) An identification of cost-effective near-term grid investments and operations needed to achieve the priorities identified in subsection 2; and [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
E. Reference and incorporate, as appropriate, all relevant analysis conducted as part of the State's climate action plan under Title 38, section 577 and relevant information from reports and analysis completed by other state agencies and quasi-independent state entities. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
The commission shall make the filing for each covered utility available for public comment for a period of no less than 60 days. The commission may order a covered utility to revise the filing to address any deficiencies. The commission may use the filing and the input received from interested parties in rate cases or other proceedings involving the covered utility.
[PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
5. Access to information. Consistent with section 1311‑A, a covered utility shall ensure to the greatest extent practicable that any information related to the filing is provided in a forum accessible to interested parties and all relevant data and distribution planning modeling tools are available to interested parties.
[PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
Nothing in this section prohibits the commission from holding additional proceedings if the commission determines it is necessary to meet the purposes of this section. [PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2021, c. 702, §8 (NEW).