Maine Gov. Janet Mills has signed LD 1844, which requires the PUC to study the creation of a "customer-owned" state power authority power entity to own the T&D assets of the investor-owned utilities (CMP and Emera)

LD 1844 specifically directs the PUC to study the customer-owned state power authority as outlined in a previously filed bill, LD 1646 (see a discussion of LD 1646 here)

The PUC's evaluation must include but is not limited to:

1. Analysis of the costs and benefits, both short-term and long-term, of the proposal;

2. Examination of legal, regulatory, technical, financial and operational issues related to the proposal and its implementation;

3. Assessment of anticipated impacts, both positive and negative, of the proposal on the State, including but not limited to impacts on electricity rates, utility employees and ratepayers; and

4. Development of alternatives or amendments to the proposal to address any identified obstacles to its implementation.

A report by the PUC is due by February 15, 2020

As previously reported, LD 1646, in creating the new customer-owned state power authority, does not specifically address retail electric choice, or SOS, for customers of such new authority.

However, the bill does provide that the authority may not, "own or operate a generating source or purchase electric capacity or energy from a generating source, except as the commission may approve in order to allow the authority to maintain or improve system reliability."

Such provision ostensibly would mean the current Standard Offer structure would remain in place (in which Standard Offer providers purchase wholesale power and sell at retail)