An Act To Provide for Economic Development with Offshore Wind Power

Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §963-A, sub-§10, ¶S,  as amended by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. D, §2, is further amended to read:

Sec. 2. 10 MRSA §963-A, sub-§10, ¶T,  as enacted by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. D, §3, is amended to read:

Sec. 3. 10 MRSA §963-A, sub-§10, ¶U  is enacted to read:

Sec. 4. PL 2009, c. 615, Pt. A, §6, 4th ¶  is amended to read:

For purposes of this section, "deep-water offshore wind energy pilot project" means an offshore wind energy project located within the University of Maine offshore energy test site or a wind energy development, as defined by Title 35-A, section 3451, subsection 11, that is connected to the electrical transmission system located in the State and employs one or more floating wind energy turbines in the Gulf of Maine at a location 300 feet or greater in depth no less than 10 nautical miles from any land area of the State other than coastal wetlands, as defined by Title 38, section 480-B, subsection 2, or an uninhabited island. "Tidal energy demonstration project" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 636-A, subsection 1, paragraph A.

Sec. 5. PL 2009, c. 615, Pt. A, §6, 3rd ¶ from the end  is amended to read:

The commission may not approve any long-term contract under this section that would result in an increase in electric rates in any customer class that is greater than the amount of the assessment charged under Title 35-A, section 10110, subsection 4 at the time that the contract is entered $1.45 per megawatt hour.

Sec. 6. PL 2009, c. 615, Pt. A, §6  is amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission shall conduct a 2nd competitive solicitation of proposals for projects under this section and may not award a contract for a proposal under this section until it completes its review of additional proposals under this paragraph, as long as any such additional proposals are received before September 1, 2013. The commission may approve additional projects including but not limited to a project that is contingent on other projects previously approved by the commission not proceeding to construction within the time requirements or deadlines set forth under the previous approval. All proposals received under this section must be evaluated using the same criteria. The University of Maine's deep-water offshore wind energy pilot project must be considered a deep-water offshore wind energy pilot project under this section. The commission shall make all reasonable efforts to complete its review of proposals under competitive solicitation conducted pursuant to this paragraph and make decisions on additional proposals by December 31, 2013. The commission shall make every effort to finalize a contract under this section.