New England Regional Power Planning and Distribution Act of 1983

New England Regional Power Planning and Distribution Act of 1983 - Title I: Establishment of Authority - Establishes within the Department of Energy a New England Regional Power Planning Authority. Requires the Regional Authority to report annually to Congress on its operations.

Title II: Regional Planning - Directs the Regional Authority to prepare, adopt, and publish a regional energy service plan for the New England Region (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) which shall include: (1) an energy power demand forecast for the Region; (2) a forecast of the additional power resources necessary to meet the projected demand; (3) a system for determining priorities among the alternative resources available to meet the projected demand; (4) an analysis of the reserve and reliability requirements affecting electric power use and availability in the Region; and (5) rate guidelines for the sale of power by the Regional Authority. Requires that public hearings be held in each affected State within the Region before the adoption of, or any subsequent amendment to, such plan.

Title III: Purchase and Sale of Gas or Electric Power - Authorizes the Regional Authority to purchase for resale gas or electric power generated from imported hydroelectric facilities located in Canada or from utilities or power authorities in the United States. Authorizes the Regional Authority to enter into long-term contracts to purchase power from new hydroelectric capacity in Canada and to make funds available to assist in the construction of such facilities. Requires the adoption of both the regional energy service plan and a treaty between the United States and Canada with respect to the purchase by the Regional Authority of gas or electric energy generated in Canada before the Regional Authority can acquire such power. Provides that international energy purchases in place as of the enactment of this Act shall be reviewed by the Regional Authority as part of the regional energy development plan and a treaty adopted between the United States and Canada protecting existing contracts.

Authorizes the Regional Authority to sell such power to electric utilities for resale within the Region. Directs the Regional Authority to establish and revise rates for the sale of such power. Makes such rates effective only upon approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission based on findings that such rates will cover specified expenses. Requires public notice of and public hearings on proposed rates.

Title IV: Financing Authority - Establishes in the U.S. Treasury a New England Power Fund, and authorizes the Regional Authority to issue and sell to the Secretary of the Treasury bonds to cover the financial needs of the Regional Authority.

Title V: General Provisions - Declares that nothing in this Act shall preempt State or local authority with respect to electric energy generation, the purchase or sale of electric energy, or electric utilities.

Requires complete accounts of all operations of the Regional Authority.

Requires the General Accounting Office (GAO) to review and recommend alternative financing options for the Regional Authority, in addition to the bond options.

Title VI: Regional Power Planning and Regulation Study - Directs GAO to conduct a study on the economic impact of Federal legislation: (1) allowing multi-State agreements not subject to congressional approval for regional power planning and regional regulation and authorizing State development of energy services; and (2) increasing regional electric regulatory authority and reducing the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) by shifting FERC jurisdiction over intrastate and interstate wholesale transactions to individual States or regional regulatory bodies.