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LD 801

An Act To Prevent Consumer-Generated Electricity From Being Used By Anyone Other Than That Consumer

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marygrace Cimino

Bill would ban consumers from selling excess solar electricity to grid or others, effectively killing net metering—it died in committee in 2025.

Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
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Bill Summary · LD 801

Legislative bill overview

LD 801 would restrict the use of electricity generated by consumers (such as rooftop solar systems) to only that consumer's own household, prohibiting the sale or sharing of excess power back to the grid or neighboring properties. The bill was introduced in Maine's 131st Legislature but was voted "Ought Not to Pass" (ONTP) by committee and ultimately died in legislative files without advancing.

Why this is important

Net metering and electricity sharing arrangements are central to residential renewable energy economics—they allow homeowners with solar installations to recoup investments by selling excess power back to utilities or through community solar programs. This bill would have eliminated those financial incentives, making rooftop solar substantially less attractive and potentially slowing Maine's renewable energy adoption and distributed generation goals.

Potential points of contention

  • Economic impact on solar adoption: Eliminating net metering credits would increase payback periods for home solar systems, potentially pricing out middle-income homeowners and reducing market demand
  • Utility business model concerns: The bill may reflect utility company interests in controlling grid power distribution, as distributed solar reduces utility sales and creates grid management complexity
  • Climate and energy policy conflict: Restricting renewable energy sharing contradicts state and federal renewable energy targets and electrification strategies
  • Technical feasibility: Modern grid infrastructure increasingly relies on distributed resources and peer-to-peer energy exchange for efficiency and resilience

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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