Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3203, sub-§9-A is enacted to read:

9-A.__Consumer credit.__The commission may not establish by rule any requirement for competitive electricity providers relating to consumer credit that discriminates between competitive electricity providers and standard-offer providers chosen pursuant to section 3212.

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3203, sub-§14, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 316, §3, is amended to read:

14. Disconnection restricted. A transmission and distribution utility may not disconnect service to a consumer due to nonpayment of generation charges or any other dispute with a competitive electricity provider, except that the commission may permit disconnection of electric service to consumers of electricity based on nonpayment of charges for standard-offer service provided under section 3212. When a single bill is provided to a consumer for delivery and generation services, all payments made by the consumer to a transmission and distribution utility are deemed to be paid in proportion to the amounts owed on the bill for delivery and generation services unless a consumer otherwise specifies in written instructions to a transmission and distribution utility, and the transmission and distribution utility shall allocate all payments accordingly.

SUMMARY

This bill:

1. Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from establishing by rule any requirement for competitive electricity providers relating to consumer credit that discriminates between competitive electricity providers and standard-offer providers; and

2. Specifies that when a single bill is provided to the consumer for delivery and generation services, all payments made by the consumer to a transmission and distribution utility are deemed to be paid in proportion to the amounts owed on the bill for delivery and generation services unless the consumer otherwise specifies in written instructions to a transmission and distribution utility, and the transmission and distribution utility shall allocate all payments accordingly.