Maine EV utility make ready pilot tariff filed

Central Maine Power Company has requested that the Maine Public Utilities Commission approve terms and conditions for a new "Electric Vehicle Charging Station Make Ready Pilot Program", as part of a utility proposal selected by the Commission for inclusion in a beneficial electrification pilot program.

In 2019, the Maine State Legislature enacted An Act To Support Electrification of Certain Technologies for the Benefit of Maine Consumers and Utility Systems and the Environment, P.L. 2019, ch. 365. The law focused on beneficial electrification, defined as "electrification of a technology that results in reduction in the use of a fossil fuel, including electrification of a technology that would otherwise require energy from a fossil fuel, and that provides a benefit to a utility, a ratepayer or the environment, without causing harm to utilities, ratepayers or the environment, by improving the efficiency of the electricity grid or reducing consumer costs or emissions, including carbon emissions." 

Maine's transportation sector has been responsible for most of the state's greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. As a form of beneficial electrification, electric vehicles have potential to displace petroleum used in the transportation sector with lower-carbon electricity. Maine and other jurisdictions are exploring incentives and other programs to encourage electric vehicle adoption, including utility make-ready programs, tax credits, and favorable utility tariff rates for EV charging service.

Among other measures, the beneficial electrification law required the Public Utilities Commission to solicit proposals for pilot programs to support the beneficial electrification of Maine’s transportation sector. On February 25, 2020, the Commission selected CMP’s proposal to offer CMP-owned infrastructure up to the meter or up to the electric vehicle charging pedestal to customers installing Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations and who meet the qualifications for participation in the program.

CMP has now filed the EV make ready pilot program's terms and conditions for Commission approval. As proposed, the Optional Targeted Service Rate B-DCFC General Service - Electric Vehicle Direct Current Fast Charger program would be open for customer application from July 31, 2020 "until electric vehicle charging stations totaling 60 plugs are selected by the Company for participation and put into service", with a cap of $4,000 per CMP-provided plug.

CMP asks the Commission to approve the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Make Ready Pilot Program tariff by July 1, 2020.