| Pursuant to current law, the Public Utilities Commission has |
| established different low-income assistance programs in different |
| transmission and distribution utility territories. As a result, |
| low-income customers of Central Maine Power Company are offered a |
| percent-of-income program that generally provides greater |
| benefits than those offered under other transmission and |
| distribution utility programs. This bill requires the commission |
| to establish an equitable-treatment program to ensure the |
| electricity bill assistance provided to low-income residential |
| customers who for health reasons must use electric oxygen pumps |
| is substantially equivalent in the various transmission and |
| distribution utility service territories. |