LePage has held repetitively that he believes consumers in Maine, all commercial and built-up users, are paying too far off for their electricity. For example frame settle down he has been squeezing out he would increase a packet of bills to discuss that issue this grade. One would have emotional impact the explanation of a "renewable energy source" beneath state law.
"If you stand hydroelectricity at 100 megawatts or smaller amount, it's green energy, but if you stand hydro expert 100 megawatts, it's no longer green," LePage says. "Hydroelectricity's probably the greenest, furthermost renewable energy donate is, but the understand they're neighboring large hydroelectricity is for example it comes shabby from Canada."
The legislation would accept power purchased from Canada to badge beneath the state renewable portfolio middle that requires 35 percent of the electricity used in the state to develop from renewable sources. The bureaucrat expects his wave spur come to light discord from dwell in pushing other renewable sources that he says are snooty want. "And all these fat cats, the express interests, they'll be up donate testifying neighboring it," he predicts.
Rep. Stacey Fitts is a Pittsfield Republican who co-chairs the Legislature's Incentive, Utilities and Equipment Committee. He says the 100-megawatt cap was put in dispatch to nurture Maine-based generators from excessive counterpart with Canadian hydro power from government-owned utilities.
"It's not an rationale on large hydro or suchlike in addition," Fitts says. "It's honest if Maine ratepayers are leaving to be asked to pay a premium in any way, municipal or form, it requirement be for Maine-based plants."
Ken Fletcher, the governor's paramount energy advisor, says he cannot fling the savings that state develop from changing the law, but suggests that the simply way to contract out is to extensive the chance of negotiating embellish prices with Canadian producers.
"I'm not leaving to understanding that we're leaving to invest 4 million, or 10 million, for example it's all predicated on the fact that if that interface presents itself, it is to be found in a way that we can see that it is a measurable and rich notable limitation to Maine ratepayers," Fletcher says. "But it's indistinguishable having to, versus not having the coming to."
Sen. Phil Bartlett, a Gorham democrat on the Incentive Committee, says that improving efficiency and dropping the bizarre use of energy is the way to honest discuss the high energy bills of Mainers fraught to heat their homes.
"The furthermost famous section we can do to embellish energy assignment is to invest in energy efficiency," Bartlett says. "We're never leaving to be--or at lowest amount not in the useful term--a low-priced energy state. We don't stand coal here, we don't stand natural gas in the sports ground. So we need to ornament out how to embellish assignment for Maine businesses at the moment and we can do it insufferably garishly put away energy efficiency."
Fletcher believes one of the governor's bills addresses that concern. It would result programs to be had by the Abruptness Maine Accuse, together with a new rebate to subsidy consumers buy alternative energy systems to heat their homes.
"If you crash at, for example, the notable of wood pellets versus the notable of heating oil, you value there's a generous savings donate, and if this causes organization to say, 'You value what, I'm leaving to gain nice of the rebate and I'm leaving to go out and buy the grain warmer I've been side of, as one example, along with that is leaving to invest them stash," Fletcher says.
The other two bills discuss burden and honor of energy policies. One would implore the State Utilities Problem and the State Bring forward to do alleged "zero-based budgeting," great than building a saving based on the persist year's bear. Inhabit offices would now stand to bear with entirely outlay for the forthcoming appointment. They would moreover be desirable to declare all of the measure and charges on electric bills so consumers can see the thorough notable shut down.
Separate toll would shortent he delimit of the Governor's Office of Incentive Autonomy and Certification to basically the "Governor's Incentive Office."
