(1) These rules describe procedures implementing the governor's emergency powers under Title 90, chapter 4, part 3, MCA, in the event of electricity supply shortages. These rules apply only to the production, sale, and use of electricity.

(2) The purposes of these rules are to:

(a) establish functions to be undertaken by public and private entities during an energy supply alert or emergency;

(b) establish principles to guide actions during an energy supply alert or emergency;

(c) establish minimum activities for utilities and local governments to adopt during an energy supply alert or emergency, thus minimizing public confusion by providing an advance indication of those actions most likely to be undertaken;

(d) establish procedures for the monitoring and enforcement of mandatory curtailment activities during an energy supply emergency; and

(e) establish a procedure for administering appeals, adjustments, and exemptions from mandatory curtailment activities during an energy supply emergency.

(3) It is the intent of these rules to use the regional curtailment plan for electric energy prepared by the northwest load curtailment plan task force as a basis for responding to an electricity supply shortage in the Pacific Northwest regional electricity system.