Maine Gov. Signs RPS Changes, Requirement For Utilities To Procure Long-Term Contracts
June 27,2019
Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 1494 which revises the state's RPS and requires utilities to enter into long-term contracts for renewable energy
The law requires the PUC to direct investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities to
enter into one or more contracts of 20 years (or longer) for energy or renewable energy credits from Class IA
resources
The law creates a new Class IA RPS tier for new resources (that otherwise meet the Class I definition)
The Class IA requirement starts at 2.5% in 2020 and increases annually, to 40% in 2030
The law creates a new "thermal energy" RPS tier for energy produced directly by a facility using sunlight, biomass, biogas or liquid biofuel or produced as a byproduct of electricity generated by a Class I or Class IA resource
The thermal energy requirement starts at 0.4% in 2020 and increases annually, to 4% in 2030