New Hampshire HB 1666: requiring capacity planning in the state 10-year energy strategy.

Bill Text

HB 1666-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2981

 06/08

HOUSE BILL 1666-FN

AN ACT requiring capacity planning in the state 10-year energy strategy.

SPONSORS: Rep. McGhee, Hills. 35; Rep. Caplan, Merr. 8; Rep. Cormen, Graf. 15; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4

COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy

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

ANALYSIS

 This bill expands the state energy strategy to include electric capacity planning for emerging sectors, requires periodic expert consultation, and adds an analysis of demand-side measures.

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

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2981

 06/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT requiring capacity planning in the state 10-year energy strategy.

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

 1 New Subparagraph; State Energy Strategy. Amend RSA 12-P:7-a by inserting after subparagraph (h) the following new subparagraph: 

 (i) Establish and maintain a report section on New Hampshire’s electric capacity planning, defined by state regional growth for electrification of new sectors of the economy, such as housing, transportation, technology, and data centers. This section report may require consulting with subject matter experts in capacity planning to define recommendations every 3 years. 

 2 New Section; State Energy Strategy. Amend RSA 12-P:7-a by inserting after section II the following new section: 

 II-a. The strategy shall also include consideration of the extent to which demand-side measures including efficiency, conservation, demand response, and load management can cost-effectively meet the state's energy needs, and proposals to increase the use of such demand resources to reduce energy costs and increase economic benefits to the state. 

 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 LBA

 26-2981

 12/2/25

HB 1666-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT requiring capacity planning in the state 10-year energy strategy.

FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding.

 Estimated State Impact

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

FY 2029

 Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Revenue Fund(s)

None

 Expenditures*

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 Funding Source(s)

Utility Assessments and General Fund

 Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

None

 *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

METHODOLOGY:

This bill expands the state energy strategy to include electric capacity planning for emerging sectors, requires periodic expert consultation, and adds an analysis of demand-side measures.

The Department of Energy states that Section 1 requires the State Energy Strategy to include a new section on “capacity planning,” which, based on context, is assumed to relate to electric capacity; however, the bill does not specify whether this refers to generation, distribution, or transmission needs. Because the scope and level of detail expected for this planning requirement are not clear in the bill language, the Department cannot determine the scale of staff time, analysis, or external expertise that may be needed resulting in an indeterminable impact on State expenditures. 

Section 2 of the bill restates existing statutory language in a newly numbered section and therefore has no fiscal impact on the Department.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Energy