Maine Revised Statutes Title 35-A. Public Utilities § 10124. Agricultural fair assistance program

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

2. Program established. The trust shall establish and administer an agricultural fair assistance program to help agricultural fairs reduce electricity costs through the most cost-effective opportunities available. Under the program, the trust shall:

The program may use a definition of cost-effective other than the definition adopted by the trust pursuant to section 10110, subsection 2.

3. Fund established. The trust shall establish the agricultural fair assistance program fund as a nonlapsing fund administered by the trust to fund the program. The commission shall assess each transmission and distribution utility an amount necessary to collect the total amount of demand charges paid by agricultural fairs in the State to transmission and distribution utilities during the prior year. All amounts collected under this subsection must be transferred to the fund. Any interest earned on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund. Funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to be used by the program. The assessments charged to transmission and distribution utilities under this subsection are just and reasonable costs for rate-making purposes. The commission may issue any appropriate orders to transmission and distribution utilities necessary to achieve the goals of this subsection.

4. Report. No later than January 15, 2022 and January 15, 2024, the trust shall submit a report on the program to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utility matters. The report must include information on program implementation, total deposits into and expenditures from the fund, program activity and reductions in peak electricity demand, energy consumption and electricity costs achieved. After receiving the report due by January 15, 2024, the committee may report out a bill relating to the program to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.

5. Repeal; remaining funds. This section is repealed June 30, 2024. In the event funds in the fund are not expended or contracted for expenditure as of June 30, 2024, the commission shall ensure that the value of those funds is returned to electricity consumers.