New Hampshire SB 447: enabling electric utilities to own, operate, and offer advanced nuclear resources, and relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities and limitations on community customer generators.

Bill Text

SB 447 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

03/26/2026 1213s

2026 SESSION

 26-2020

 06/08

SENATE BILL 447

AN ACT enabling electric utilities to own, operate, and offer advanced nuclear resources, and relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities and limitations on community customer generators.

SPONSORS: Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. McConkey, Dist 3; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Rep. Sabourin, Rock. 30; Rep. Notter, Hills. 12; Rep. D. Thomas, Rock. 16

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

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ANALYSIS

This bill:

 I. Defines "advanced nuclear resource" (ANR) and includes ANR options alongside renewable energy sources for utility services.

 II. Sets limitations and guidelines for investments in distributed electric generation.

 III. Clarifies the coordinator's duties in nuclear development and regulatory activities.

 IV. Allows the department of energy or the electric distribution utilities, or both, to issue requests for proposals (RFPs) for multi-year agreements for energy, in conjunction with or independent of any attendant environmental attributes from electric energy sources, and coordinate with one or more New England states in issuing this RFP.

 V. Modifies the scope and capacity limits of community solar projects, including expanding the annual cap for low-moderate income community solar projects from 6 MW to 18 MW.

 VI. Allows group net metering members to sign agreements with multiple group hosts, as long as their combined allocated load does not exceed their total load.

 VII. Expands the definition of "political subdivision" to include public housing authorities and explains eligibility for participation in group net metering.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/26/2026 1213s 26-2020

 06/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT enabling electric utilities to own, operate, and offer advanced nuclear resources, and relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities and limitations on community customer generators.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Findings and Purpose. The general court finds that: 

 I. The cost of electricity supply in New Hampshire is higher than the national average and continues to create an economic burden on the state’s citizens and businesses. 

 II. The cost of electricity in New England is driven by a number of factors, including the retirements of baseload generation resources, lack of adequate natural gas capacity in the winter, and increases in the cost of natural gas due to international factors. 

 III. The retention and development of reliable sources of low-cost electricity supply are critical to stabilizing and reducing the cost of electricity in New Hampshire. 

 IV. Market volatility is harming New Hampshire’s residents and businesses.

 V. To ensure that New Hampshire ratepayers can benefit from cost-effective energy sources, the general court finds that it is appropriate to allow the electric distribution utilities to issue requests for proposals to provide more diverse and long-term options for providing energy service to customers.

 2 Coordination of Studies and Development Activities; Position Established. Amend RSA 162-B:4, III to read as follows:

 III. The coordinator of nuclear development and regulatory activities shall have the duty to coordinate and produce the reports required by RSA 162-B:3, as well as coordinate the studies conducted, and the recommendations and proposals made, in this state with like activities in New England and other states and with the policies and regulations of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These activities may include outreach programs to inform and educate the public, particularly regarding safety.

 3 Net Metering. Amend RSA 362-A:9, III and IV to read as follows:

 III. Metering shall be done in accordance with normal metering practices. A single net meter that shows the customer's net energy usage by measuring both the inflow and outflow of electricity internally shall be the extent of metering that is required at facilities with a total peak generating capacity of not more than [100] 500 kilowatts. A bidirectional metering system that records the total amount of electricity that flows in each direction from the customer premises, either instantaneously or over intervals of an hour or less, shall be required at facilities with a total peak generating capacity of more than [100] 500 kilowatts. The bidirectional syste