65- 407 C.M.R. ch. 317, § 1
This Chapter applies to all electric transmission and distribution utilities in the State.
The purpose of this rule is to implement the provisions of P.L. 2013, ch. 556, "An Act To Assist Electric Utility Ratepayers" by requiring each electric transmission and distribution utility to create and administer an AMP. The purpose of the AMP is to assist eligible low income customers who are in arrears on their electricity bills by requiring transmission and distribution utilities to work with eligible low-income residential customers to establish an affordable payment plan and provide credit towards a customer's accumulated arrears as long as that customer remains in compliance with the terms of the program.
"Applicant" means any person or business that applies for utility service and who has not been a customer of the utility within the past 30 calendar days.
An "Arrearage Management Program" or "AMP" or "Program" provides financial assistance and on-time bill payment incentives to eligible residential electricity consumers by establishing an affordable payment plan and providing a credit each month towards that customer's accumulated arrears as long as that customer remains in compliance with the terms of the AMP. The term AMP refers to both the AMP of a particular T&D Utility and the overall Arrearage Management Program created by this Chapter.
"AMP year" is the period between October 1 and the following September 30.
"Arrearage Amount" is an amount of a transmission and distribution customer's bill that is past due at the time of an eligible customer's enrollment in an AMP. This amount is limited to charges associated with transmission and distribution service and standard offer service and does not include CEP charges.
"Commission" is the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
"Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP)" is a marketer, broker, aggregator, or any entity selling electricity to the public at retail.
"Community Action Agency" or "CAP" is a private nonprofit agency that is designated by and authorized to accept funds from the Federal Community Services Administration under the Federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.
"Default" is an event where a Program Participant has missed a payment required as a condition of participation in an AM P. A Default may be cured as provided for in section 4(I) of this Rule. An Eligible Customer who is in Default may not continue to participate in an AMP until such Default has been cured. In the event a Program Participant misses consecutive monthly payments, each monthly payment missed represents a separate and discreet "Default."
"Efficiency Maine Trust" or "EMT" is the independent administrator for energy efficiency programs in Maine.
"Electricity Usage Assessment" or "Usage Assessment" is an analysis of a Program Participant's electricity usage completed by the EMT.
An "Eligible Customer" is a residential transmission and distribution utility customer or applicant who is taking or has applied to take residential electric service on a continuing year-round basis, is eligible for LIHEAP in the State of Maine, and has carried an Arrearage Amount of $500 or more for at least 90 days.
"Forgiveness" is a designated Arrearage Amount for which a customer is no longer responsible for paying and which is permanently removed from the customer's account. Once an amount is forgiven, it cannot be reinstated to customer's account.
"LIAP" is the "Low-Income Assistance Program," which is a program established pursuant to Chapter 314 of the Commission's rules to assist qualified low-income customers pay their electric bills.
"LIHEAP" is the "Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program," which is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance grants to needy households for home energy bills and is implemented by the Maine State Housing Authority.
A "Program Participant" or "Participant" is an Eligible Customer who is enrolled in an AMP.
"Residential Customer" is any person who has applied for, been accepted for, and is receiving residential service from a transmission and distribution utility or has agreed to be billed for residential service from a transmission and distribution utility.
The Standard Intake Form is attached as Appendix A to this rule. The Standard Intake Form is the default intake format for enrolling Eligible Customers in an Arrearage Management Program. T&D Utilities wishing to use an alternative form need to submit that form with their AMP for Commission approval.
The Standard Intake Form shall be designed to gather information on the applicant's existing usage pattern to allow the EMT and the CAPs to identify opportunities for energy usage reduction and conservation.
"Special Payment Arrangement" or "SPA" means a payment arrangement in which the customer may pay less than the full amount of bills as they become due. Special Payment Arrangements shall require that the customer make regular monthly payments established according to the guidelines set forth in Section 9 of Chapter 815 of the Commission's rules.
"Transmission and distribution utility" or "T&D Utility" means a person, its lessees, trustees, receivers or trustees appointed by a court, owning, controlling, operating or managing an electric transmission and distribution plant for compensation within the State, except where the electricity is distributed by the entity that generates the electricity through private property alone solely for that entity's own use or the use of the entity's tenants and not for sale to others.
65- 407 C.M.R. ch. 317, § 1