New Hampshire SB 518: relative to asset condition projects.

Bill Text

SB 518 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2074

 06/09

SENATE BILL 518

AN ACT relative to asset condition projects.

SPONSORS: Sen. Avard, Dist 12

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ANALYSIS

This bill:

 I. Establishes definitions and a certification process for qualified transmission asset replacement projects.

 II. Modifies application and fee requirements.

 III. Clarifies agency roles in site evaluation proceedings. 

 IV. Expands the site evaluation committee fund to include monitoring and enforcement costs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2074

 06/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT relative to asset condition projects.

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

 1 New Subparagraph; Transmission Asset Replacement Projects. Amend RSA 162-H:2, VII by inserting after subparagraph (h) the following new subparagraph: 

 (i) A transmission asset replacement project.

 2 New Paragraph; Transmission Asset Replacement Project; Definition. Amend RSA 162-H:2 by inserting after paragraph XI-a the following new paragraph: 

 XI-b. “Qualified transmission asset replacement project” means a transmission asset replacement project for which: 

 (a) The transmission line has a certificate and: 

 (1) None of the conditions of the certificate or associated permits would require amendment and no new permits would be required as a result of the replacement; and

 (2) Neither the height of the poles or towers nor the width of the corridor, exclusive of trimming in an established easement, will be increased as a result of the replacement; or

 (b) The transmission line would not meet the definitions in RSA 162-H:2, VII(c), (d), or (e) either before or as a result of the replacement.

 3 New Paragraph; Transmission Asset Replacement Project; Definition. Amend RSA 162-H:2 by inserting after paragraph XII the following new paragraph: 

 XIII. “Transmission asset replacement project” means replacement of 5 percent or more transmission poles or towers within a 5-year period on an existing electric transmission line in an existing corridor, regardless of design rating.

 4 New Paragraph; Role of State Agencies in All Proceedings. Amend RSA 162-H:7-b by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraph: 

 VII. The department of energy and the office of the consumer advocate shall automatically have full party status and the right to appeal in any adjudicative or non‑adjudicative proceeding before the committee in which the department or consumer advocate files a notice of participation. Any person or party that initiates a proceeding before the committee by application or otherwise shall provide a copy to the department at the time of filing. Any person or party filing confidential information in any proceeding in which the department or consumer advocate may appear, or exchanging confidential information in discovery or otherwise, shall provide the department and consumer advocate with such confidential information.

 5 New Section; Application for Certificate; Qualified Transmission Asset Replacement Projects. Amend RSA 162-H by inserting after section 7-b the following new section: 

 162-H:7-c. Application for Certificate; Qualified Transmission Asset Replacement Projects.

 I. This section applies only to certification of qualified transmission asset replacement projects as defined in RSA 162-H:2, XI-b.

 II. All applications for a certificate for a qualified transmission asset replacement shall be filed with the chairperson of the site evaluation committee.

 III. Upon filing of an application, the chairperson of the site evaluation committee shall expeditiously conduct a preliminary review to ascertain if the application contains sufficient information to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

 IV. If the application does not contain such sufficient information, the chairperson shall, in writing, expeditiously notify the applicant of that fact and specify what information the applicant must supply.

 V. Each application shall contain a sworn statement under the penalties of perjury that the proposed facility meets the criteria for a qualified transmission asset replacement project as defined in RSA 162-H:2, XI-b.

 VI. Each application shall also: 

 (a) Describe in reasonable detail the type and size of each major part of the proposed facility;

 (b) Identify both the applicant’s preferred choice and other alternatives it considers available for the site and config