Energy

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 13, 2026

LD 32: An Act To Repeal The Laws Regarding Net Energy Billing

This bill ends Maine's net energy billing program, which allowed residential and commercial solar customers to receive bill credits for excess electricity they sent back to the grid. It repeals all existing rules governing this program (including sections 3209-A, 3209-B, and 3209-C) and explicitly prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from requiring utilities to offer net energy billing in the future. The change directly affects current and future solar customers who previously relied on this billing method for compensation. It shifts Maine's policy away from compensating solar generators for exported energy toward a different framework for distributed generation.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRepeals net energy billing program that provided credits for solar excess power, removing financial incentive for residential/commercial solar adoption.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Energy

signed · Maine · House Mar 9, 2026

LD 343: An Act To Direct The Public Utilities Commission To Seek Informational Bids Regarding Small Modular Nuclear Reactors In The State

This bill requires Maine's Public Utilities Commission to annually request informational bids for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) by October 1st each year. SMRs are defined as reactors under 350 megawatts, NRC-licensed, and capable of on-site construction or transport. The bids must include costs, location, timeline, and operational details - though they are non-binding and used only to inform potential future contracts. The Commission must submit annual reports to the Legislature's energy committee starting in 2026, and the bill terminates once the state accepts a bid for reactor establishment.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill mandates annual informational bids for SMRs (nuclear energy), promoting exploration of nuclear power as part of Maine's energy infrastructure and production options.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Energy

signed · Maine · Senate Jul 1, 2025

LD 556: An Act To Preserve Heating And Energy Choice By Prohibiting A Municipality From Prohibiting A Particular Energy System Or Energy Distributor

LD 556 prevents Maine municipalities from banning specific safe, commercially available heating or energy systems (like oil, propane, natural gas, or renewable options) that residents or businesses choose for their own use, including for motor vehicles. It also stops towns from restricting the use of a chosen energy distributor (such as a propane or oil supplier) for installing, connecting, or servicing these systems. The bill does not override existing licensing requirements for energy providers or prevent municipalities from promoting certain energy types or using public funds to support them. This law directly affects homeowners, businesses, and local governments by preserving energy choice within existing safety and regulatory frameworks.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyPrevents municipalities from banning renewable energy systems and distributors, enabling consumer choice in energy options including renewables.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Energy

failed · Maine · House Jun 13, 2025

LD 1321: An Act To Reform Net Energy Billing By Establishing Limitations On The Programs' Duration And Compensation

LD 1321 reformulates Maine's net energy billing program for solar and renewable energy systems. It limits new residential and small commercial systems to 20 kilowatts after November 2025 (with limited exemptions), caps shared ownership to 10 customers per project, and restricts individuals to owning no more than 5 systems. The bill sets a hard end date of December 31, 2045, or 20 years from a system's agreement date, whichever comes first. It also requires that renewable energy credits generated must be sold within Maine and adjusts compensation rates based on historical utility rates with annual 2.25% increases. This directly affects residential and small commercial customers with solar installations participating in net energy billing.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill imposes caps on system size (20kW), ownership limits (10 customers), and a 2045 end date, restricting renewable energy program expansion and growth.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Energy

Track

failed · Maine · Senate Jun 10, 2025

LD 371: An Act To Expand Hydroelectric Development By Removing The 100-Megawatt Cap

LD 371 removes a 100-megawatt capacity limit for hydroelectric generators, allowing larger projects to qualify as renewable energy sources. This directly affects hydroelectric developers seeking to build or expand facilities, as they will no longer face the previous size restriction. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental Protection to make approval decisions within 6 months of receiving complete applications and mandates public engagement through at least one community meeting. Additionally, it clarifies that approved projects may operate at full nameplate capacity, subject to existing environmental and fish passage requirements. These changes aim to streamline development while maintaining regulatory safeguards.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRemoves 100-megawatt cap on hydroelectric projects, enabling larger renewable energy infrastructure development and explicitly advancing hydro as renewable energy source.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRemoves 100-megawatt cap on hydroelectric projects, enabling larger renewable energy developments and explicitly qualifying them as renewable sources, advancing clean energy expansion.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Energy

Track

failed · Maine · House Jun 3, 2025

LD 741: An Act To Increase Preparedness For Solar Power Adoption In Maine

LD 741 requires Maine's Technical Building Codes and Standards Board to update the state's building code to include solar energy standards from Appendix CB of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code for all new commercial buildings. This affects developers and builders constructing new commercial properties after the effective date. The bill exempts buildings that already secured all permits before July 1, 2026, and any projects receiving funding from the Maine State Housing Authority. The key change ensures new commercial construction incorporates solar-ready infrastructure from the start, without mandating solar panel installation.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyMandates solar energy standards in commercial building codes to advance renewable adoption, directly promoting solar infrastructure compliance for new developments.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires solar energy standards in new commercial buildings, promoting clean energy adoption and reducing fossil fuel reliance per bill's mandate.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Energy

Track

failed · Maine · Senate Jun 3, 2025

LD 830: An Act To Protect Maine'S Scenic Beauty By Requiring Solar Panel Fields To Be Hidden From View

LD 830 requires solar energy developments in Maine to be concealed from view using a barrier like trees, bushes, or fencing that hides the panels from adjacent properties. The Department of Environmental Protection must verify this concealment before approving any new solar project. This bill directly affects solar developers, who must design projects with such barriers, and the Department, which gains authority to enforce this requirement during approvals.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyMandates visual barriers for solar projects, increasing development costs and complexity, which restricts renewable energy deployment rather than promoting it.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Energy

Track

failed · Maine · House Apr 17, 2025

LD 735: An Act To Protect Sand Dunes On Sears Island And To Establish Criteria For Legislation Regarding Land Development

LD 735 protects Sears Island's coastal sand dunes by requiring state agencies to obtain certification from an indigenous lands protection committee before authorizing any development on the island. This committee, composed of representatives from five Maine tribes and a gubernatorial appointee, must confirm proposed development areas do not contain sacred indigenous sites. The bill repeals prior laws permitting a wind terminal project and a conservation plan for a specific 10-acre parcel, and establishes a two-thirds vote requirement for any land development legislation conflicting with EPA regulations, with sponsorship limited to legislators from the affected district.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRepeals prior law permitting wind terminal project, blocking renewable energy development per bill's explicit language on wind terminal repeal.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProtects coastal sand dunes via development restrictions, conserving natural resources and preventing harm to sensitive ecosystems.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Energy

Track

failed · Maine · House Mar 27, 2025

LD 444: An Act To Lower Energy Costs By Repealing The Law Setting Out The State'S Goals For Consumption Of Electricity From Renewable Resources

LD 444 repeals Maine's legally established renewable energy consumption goals for electricity, removing specific targets from state law. This directly affects utilities, energy developers, and the Maine Public Utilities Commission, which previously had to evaluate projects based on meeting these goals. The bill eliminates requirements in sections 3210 and 3210-I that mandated proposals support the state's renewable energy targets. Key provisions include deleting references to "renewable energy goals" from evaluation criteria for transmission projects and offshore wind program administration (section 35), though the offshore wind program itself remains unchanged.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRepeals Maine's renewable energy consumption goals, removing mandatory targets for utilities and developers, weakening state clean energy standards per bill summary and subjects.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Energy

Track