SECTION 1. There shall be established a Task Force on electric rates to advise the Legislature, the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and the Administration on the current and future cost of electricity in Massachusetts.

SECTION 2. The Task Force shall be chaired by the Attorney General and shall include the following members: the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or a designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources or a designee; one representative from each investor-owned electric utility with a combined service territory of more than 100,000 retail and commercial customers;  one representative from ISO – New England: one representative from the Department of Public Utilities: the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy: two individuals knowledgeable about electric rates appointed by the Speaker of the House and two individuals knowledgeable about electricity rates appointed by the Senate President: The Attorney General shall assign such staff and resources necessary for the work of the task force.

All meetings of the Task Force shall be public and have an opportunity for public comment.

SECTION 3. The Task Force shall convene within 30 days of the adoption of this Act. and produce a report which shall 1) identify each cost component that comprises the electric bill of residential and commercial customers of each investor owned Electric Distribution Company in Massachusetts with a combined service territory of more than 100,000 retail and commercial customers; 2) include the total revenue raised statewide from each cost component separated by utility and customer class; 3) the current total cost to each customer class on a kWh basis and monthly basis for typical user in each rate class; 4) the annual rate increase for each cost component for the previous 10 years and the projected annual rate increases or range of rate increases expected over the next five years. Said report shall compare such individual rate components to current and projected rate components of all other New England states and at least three other states considered to be economic competitors of the Commonwealth.

As part of the identification under Item 1 in this section, the report shall include the date of origin and purpose of each cost component and whether said cost components are related to electric utility distribution costs, regional transmission costs or energy supply costs and if the cost components were added as a result of compliance with meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals as specified in Chapter 21N Section 3, of Mass General laws. Item 1 shall also include and identify any cost components that are expected to be added to ratepayer bills over the next ten years.

For purposes of Items 2, 3, and 4 cost components may be combined if they serve a similar purpose provided they are not currently listed separately on a customer bill or necessary to meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals as specified in Chapter 21N Section 3, of Mass General laws.   

SECTION 4. Said report of the Task Force shall be made available for public comment for 30 days not later than 9 months from the convening of the Task Force. Changes shall be made to the report based on public comment, if applicable, as determined by the Task Force. A final report shall be conveyed to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Clerks of the House and Senate and the Members of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy within 30 days of the closing of public comment closing.