STATE OF MAINE

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION                                                 Docket No. 2003-823

 

                                                                                                            February 18, 2004

 

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION                                   

Standard Offer Bidding Procedure            

 

SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER DESIGNATING STANDARD OFFER PROVIDER                                             

 

WELCH, Chairman; DIAMOND and REISHUS, Commissioners

 

I.          SUMMARY

 

            Through this Order, we designate Independence Power Marketing, LLC as a standard offer provider in place of J. Aron and Company.

 

II.         BACKGROUND

 

            On January 21, 2004, we designated J. Aron and Company (J. Aron)[1] as the standard offer provider for 20% of the large non-residential classes in the Central Maine Power Company (CMP) and Bangor Hydro-Electric Company (BHE) service territories.  On February 4, 2004, J. Aron filed a letter indicating that it has decided to provide standard offer service through a newly created affiliate, Independence Power Marketing, LLC (Independence).  J. Aron requests that the Commission issue an order designating Independence as the standard offer provider in J. Aron’s place.

 

            Independence has filed for a competitive electricity provider license that would allow it to provide standard offer service.  We have granted that license through an Order issued today.  In addition, Goldman Sachs has committed to providing a corporate guarantee to secure in full the obligations of Independence to provide standard offer service.  Goldman Sachs offers this increased level of financial security so that there is no detriment to Maine’s standard offer customers as a result of the substitution of Independence for J. Aron.

 

            Accordingly, we hereby designate Independence as the standard offer provider for 20% of the large non-residential classes in the CMP and BHE service territories for the six-month term beginning March 1, 2004.  In doing so, we accept the J. Aron bidder conditions as applicable to Independence and incorporate them into this Order.

 

Dated at Augusta, Maine, this 18^th day of February, 2004.

 

BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION

 

 

_______________________________

Dennis L. Keschl

Administrative Director

 

 

 

 

COMMISSIONERS VOTING FOR: Welch

                                                                        Diamond

                                                                        Reishus

 

 

NOTICE OF RIGHTS TO REVIEW OR APPEAL

 

            5 M.R.S.A. § 9061 requires the Public Utilities Commission to give each party to an adjudicatory proceeding written notice of the party's rights to review or appeal of its decision made at the conclusion of the adjudicatory proceeding.  The methods of review or appeal of PUC decisions at the conclusion of an adjudicatory proceeding are as follows:

 

            1.         Reconsideration of the Commission's Order may be requested under Section 1004 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (65-407 C.M.R.110) within 20 days of the date of the Order by filing a petition with the Commission stating the grounds upon which reconsideration is sought.

 

            2.         Appeal of a final decision of the Commission may be taken to the Law Court by filing, within 21 days of the date of the Order, a Notice of Appeal with the Administrative Director of the Commission, pursuant to 35-A M.R.S.A. § 1320(1)-(4) and the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure.

 

            3.         Additional court review of constitutional issues or issues involving the justness or reasonableness of rates may be had by the filing of an appeal with the Law Court, pursuant to 35-A M.R.S.A. § 1320(5).

 

Note:   The attachment of this Notice to a document does not indicate the Commission's view that the particular document may be subject to review or appeal.  Similarly, the failure of the Commission to attach a copy of this Notice to a document does not indicate the Commission's view that the document is not subject to review or appeal.