Senate hearing on performance‑based utility rates spotlights tradeoffs between affordability and incentives Lawmakers and utility stakeholders debated a bill to add performance‑based criteria to electricity rate‑making, with the sponsor emphasizing consumer protections and utilities and the Department of Energy urging clarity on triggers, Totex, and who sets key definitions.

New Hampshire lawmakers are grappling with a proposed bill that aims to reshape electricity rate-making, balancing consumer protections with the need for clarity on crucial definitions and potential risks.

Get the details!

#NH #CitizenPortal #ConsumerProtection #EnergyRates #NewHampshireUtilities

Bill to let utilities share "life‑support" customer addresses for emergency planning raises privacy questions Representative Margaret Dry told the committee HB 15‑77 would allow utilities to share limited customer data (addresses or flags) with municipal emergency authorities for welfare checks during outages; Eversource and the Department of Energy were neutral but urged guardrails on data type, consent and security to avoid HIPAA and right‑to‑know pitfalls.

A new bill aims to allow utilities to share addresses of "life-support" customers with emergency services, but privacy concerns are sparking heated debate.

Get the details!

#NH #CitizenPortal #EmergencyPlanning #PublicSafety #NewHampshireUtilities #DataPrivacy

Committee backs bill letting utilities securitize prudently incurred storm costs; amendment extends PUC review window The Science, Technology and Energy Committee advanced HB 15‑39, which would let utilities securitize PUC‑approved storm recovery costs to spread payments over decades. Supporters say it reduces near‑term bill shocks; critics and state agencies warned about administrative costs and oversight resources.

New Hampshire's new bill could revolutionize how utilities handle storm recovery costs, potentially reducing your energy bills by spreading payments over time.

Learn more here!

#NH #CitizenPortal #NewHampshireUtilities #RegulatoryReform #StormRecovery #ConsumerProtection

Bill to repeal alternative regulation statute prompts industry and consumer tradeoffs SB 537 would repeal the statute enabling the Public Utilities Commission to approve alternative forms of regulation. The Department of Energy sought clarification; utilities warned repeal would remove tools that can be tailored to promote affordability, while the consumer advocate urged surgical fixes rather than repeal.

New Hampshire's Senate Bill 537 could strip utilities of essential tools for promoting affordability and energy efficiency, sparking a heated debate on regulatory reforms.

Learn more here!

#NH #PerformanceBasedRegulation #AffordabilityMetrics #NewHampshireUtilities #CitizenPortal

Senator’s bill to let utilities build generation draws sharp debate over risk to ratepayers Sen. Kevin Avard proposed allowing electric distribution utilities to own, build and operate generation in New Hampshire (subject to PUC approval and a 400 MW cap). Utilities and industry groups said the change risks shifting development cost and overruns onto ratepayers; sponsors and some proponents said it could add local capacity and optionality.

A proposed bill in New Hampshire could reshape the electric landscape by allowing utilities to build generation facilities, sparking a heated debate over potential risks for ratepayers.

Click to read more!

#NH #SustainableGeneration #EnergyPolicy #CitizenPortal #NewHampshireUtilities

PUC interim chair outlines regulator role, urges clarity on site-evaluation duties Mark Delofano, interim chair of the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee the PUC is the state's rate-setting regulator for investor-owned utilities and asked the Legislature to clarify whether energy rate-making authority or new DOE policymaking supersedes traditional PUC roles.

New Hampshire's PUC chair warns of confusion in regulatory roles and calls for legislative clarity on energy rate-making authority.

Learn more here!

#NH #LegislativeClarity #EnergyRegulation #PublicPolicy #NewHampshireUtilities #CitizenPortal

New Hampshire Energy Data Hub project prepares RFP amid regulatory challenges Unitil leads Energy Data Hub project to optimize utility data access and grid modernization.

The Energy Data Hub project in New Hampshire is set to revolutionize utility data sharing and grid modernization, but will it overcome regulatory challenges to succeed?

Click to read more!

#NH #RegulatoryEfficiency #GridModernization #CitizenPortal #EnergyDataAccess #NewHampshireUtilities

Representative Harrington questions Eversource's meter conversion timeline and cost transparency Representative Harrington seeks clearer timelines for Eversource's meter adoption and reports.

New Hampshire lawmakers are raising alarms over Eversource's costly meter conversion process and the urgent need for transparency in compliance reporting.

Get the details!

#NH #EnergyTransparency #NewHampshireUtilities #RegulatoryCompliance #CitizenPortal #UtilityManagement