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Kennebunk Light & Power Propose Radical Changes to Standard Offer Service
Including Abandoning Customer Choice
On March 18, 2026, pursuant to 35-A M.R.S. § 307, and Section 3 of Chapter 120 of the Commission’s Rules. Kennebunk Light & Power District submitted proposed revisions to its Rate SO tariff related to standard offer service.
The proposed filing as filed would apply to all energy delivered to customers of the District not taking service from a Competitive Energy Provider (CEP).
Under the current Standard Offer Service allows customers to take service through a retail supplier.
The filing proposes an effective date of April 20, 2026
However, under the proposed redline revisions to Standard Offer Rate Kennebunk the utility filing includes the following radical changes to the standard offer service offering including the elimination of customer choice:
Standard Offer Service Through Load Aggregation
Establishment – In accordance with Maine law and Chapter 301 of the Commission’s rules, the District may obtain wholesale energy supply and aggregate load within its service territory for the purpose of providing standard offer service to its own customers (“load aggregation service”). Unless otherwise authorized by the Commission, aggregation service will be established only through a vote of the District’s governing board and shall not exceed a period of five years.
Customer Opt Out – The District’s customers shall have the opportunity to opt-out of the standard offer load aggregation and take service from a competitive electricity provider by providing notice to the District at least 30 days prior to the initiation of load aggregation service, unless some other timeframe is authorized by the Commission. The standard offer load aggregation must provide for service to customers that have chosen to opt-out of the load aggregation and have subsequently defaulted to standard offer service. The standard offer load aggregation may contain alternative pricing for customers that have chosen to opt-out of the load aggregation, but who subsequently default to load aggregation service. The alternative pricing may be based on current electricity market prices at the time the customer takes service as part of the load aggregation.
Migration Restriction – Customers that do not opt-out of the standard offer load aggregation under part (b) may be required to take standard offer service at specified load aggregation prices for a pre-specified term.
Pre-Existing Contracts – Customers taking service from a competitive electricity provider under a pre-existing contract that terminates after the initiation of the standard offer load aggregation service and do not opt-out by providing notice pursuant to part (b) will become part of the aggregation when the contract expires. The standard offer load aggregation may contain alternative pricing for customers who do not provide notice of the expiration of the pre-existing contract. The alternative pricing may be based on current electricity market prices at the time the customer takes service as part of the load aggregation.
New Customers and Load Expansions – New customers in the District’s service territory will become part of the standard offer load aggregation unless the customer receives service from a competitive electricity provider. The standard offer load aggregation shall provide new residential and small non-residential customers service at the predetermined load aggregation prices. The standard offer load aggregation may contain alternative pricing for new load of medium and large non-residential customers and for load expansions of existing customer above a pre-specified demand level. The alternative pricing may be based on current electricity market prices at the time the customer takes service as part of the load aggregation.
Customer Notification – Unless some other timeframe is authorized by the Commission, the District shall provide its customers notification of the standard offer load aggregation at least 90 days but no greater than 120 days before the initiation of service. The notification shall be in writing and contain, at a minimum the following information:
(i) a description of the terms and conditions of the standard offer load aggregation including the initiation and termination dates, load aggregation prices are not required to be included in the notification;
(ii) a prominent statement that customers that do not opt-out of the load aggregation will be required to continue to take service from the load aggregation throughout the term;
(iii) the procedures for customers to opt-out of the load aggregation; and
(iv) the existence of alternative pricing for customers that opt-out pursuant to part (b) and subsequently default to standard offer service, customers with pre-existing contracts that do not provide notice of the expiration of the contract pursuant to part (d), and new customers and load expansions pursuant to subsection (e).

