Revision: Feb. 16, 2022, 12:09 p.m.
SB 270 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/16/2022 0667s
2022 SESSION
22-3025
10/04
SENATE BILL 270
AN ACT establishing a low-moderate income community solar program.
SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Rep. Cali-Pitts, Rock. 30; Rep. McGhee, Hills. 27
COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a program for low-moderate income electric customers to participate in qualifying community solar projects.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/16/2022 0667s 22-3025
10/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT establishing a low-moderate income community solar program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Net Energy Metering; Community Solar Program. RSA 362-A:9, XIV(d) and (e) are repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
(d) The electric distribution utilities shall establish a list of potential low-moderate income residential customers who qualify to benefit from the low-moderate income community solar addition. This list shall consist of residents who have enrolled in or are on the waitlist for the state Electric Assistance Program administered by the commission.
(e) Within 90 days of the effective date of this subparagraph, the department of energy shall develop a process by which community solar developers can apply for designation as a community solar project. Such projects designate their production for the benefit of households on the list required in subparagraph (d). Such projects will qualify for the low-moderate income solar addition as established in subparagraph (c) and shall specify the amount of on-bill credit they can offer to low-moderate income homeowners. Annually, the number of projects designated as low-moderate income community solar shall not exceed a total nameplate capacity rating of 6 megawatts in the aggregate. If more than 6 megawatts of projects apply for designation, the department of energy shall select the projects that offer the largest on-bill credit.
(f) Each year, the department of energy, in consultation with the electric distribution utilities, shall select a means by which to enroll households as off-takers for these low-moderate income community solar projects. Customers shall be enrolled on an opt-out basis, notified by mail of their enrollment, and informed of the details of the project from which they are receiving credit. Once enrolled, such customers shall receive on-bill credits until such time as they no longer qualify for the Electric Assistance Program, or until they opt out from receiving credits.
(g) All costs incurred by the electric distribution utilities related to this program, including but not limited to, costs of implementation, billing and administrative activities, shall not be borne by the utilities, but shall be recovered from customers.
(h) Utility owned projects that are designated as community solar projects shall not count against the limitation on the maximum allowed distributed energy resources as established by RSA 374-G:4.
(i) Nothing in this chapter shall preclude low-moderate income solar community projects from enrolling customers through any other method besides the process described in subparagraphs (d)-(f). A description of any alternative method used shall be filed with department of energy.
(j) The department of energy is authorized to assess fines against, revoke the registration of, and prohibit from doing business in the state, any group host which violates the requirements of this paragraph or rules adopted for this paragraph by the department pursuant to paragraph X.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.