Revision: Jan. 30, 2025, 5:20 p.m.
SB 112-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-1147
06/02
SENATE BILL 112-FN
AN ACT relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities.
SPONSORS: Sen. Avard, Dist 12
COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources
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ANALYSIS
This bill allows the department of energy or the electric distribution utilities, or both, to issue requests for proposals 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.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-1147
06/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities.
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 of and development of reliable sources of low-cost electricity supply is 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 Purchased Power Agreements. Amend RSA 374-F:11, I(g) to read as follows:
(g) All megawatt hours procured through agreements made pursuant to this section shall come from existing, new, or incremental electric energy sources.
3 New Subparagraph; Purchased Power Agreements. Amend RSA 374-F:11, I(h) by inserting after subparagraph (2) the following new subparagraph:
(3) "Existing electric energy sources" means all sources that currently provide energy to the ISO-NE regional markets, including nuclear power generation facilities located in the ISO-NE control area that commenced commercial operation before January 1, 2011.
4 Purchased Power Agreements. Amend RSA 374-F:11, II(a) to read as follows:
(a) Upon the petition of one or more electric distribution utilities, and after notice and hearing, the public utilities commission may authorize such utility or utilities to enter into multi-year agreements with existing, new, or incremental electric energy sources [up to a total of 2 million megawatt hours] statewide, on an annual basis, if it finds such agreements to be just and reasonable and in the public interest.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
25-1147
Revised 1/30/25
SB 112-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant states this bill has no fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures or revenue.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Energy and Public Utilities Commission