Revision: April 2, 2026, 12:21 p.m.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources
March 31, 2026
2026-1307s
04/07
Amendment to HB 1723
Amend the bill by replacing section 3 with the following:
3 Geomagnetic and Electromagnetic Disturbance Electric Transmission; Department of Energy; Vulnerability Investigation.
I. The department of energy shall investigate the vulnerability of electric transmission transformers and other system components to geomagnetically induced currents. The investigation shall answer the following questions:
(a) What studies and assessments have previously been performed that reviewed transmission system vulnerabilities to geomagnetic and electromagnetic disturbances?
(b) How were those studies conducted and what were the transmission system grid vulnerabilities identified?
(c) Given the current NERC GMD standard of 3 V/km and the IEC international standard of 85 V/km, did the magnetic field standard utilized adequately assess the vulnerability of the transmission system in New Hampshire to geomagnetic and electromagnetic disturbances?
(d) If the magnetic field standard utilized in previous studies did not adequately assess transmission infrastructure vulnerability, what standard should be used?
(e) What would be the cost to conduct a transmission infrastructure assessment at a higher standard than has previously been used?
(f) How long would an additional assessment at a higher standard take to complete?
(g) What mitigation strategies and response methods are currently utilized to protect transmission system infrastructure from geomagnetic and electromagnetic disturbances and are those strategies and methods adequate?
(h) What role can the state of New Hampshire play in assessing transmission system vulnerabilities that fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in directing transmission-owning utilities to implement infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions?
(i) What funding sources are available to conduct additional assessments or support the installation of equipment to further protect vulnerable transmission system infrastructure from geomagnetic and electromagnetic disturbances?
II. The department shall commence the investigation within 120 days of the effective date of this subsection and complete the investigation within a time period not to exceed 12 months of its commencement. At the conclusion of the investigation, the department shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the house science, technology and energy committee, the senate energy and natural resources committee, and the division of homeland security and emergency management and the department shall also send the report to the United States Secretary of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Agency, and ISO-New England.
III. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or order to the contrary, the department shall have the authority necessary to conduct this investigation and implement this subdivision, including, but not limited to, the authority to request information from public utilities, including transmission utilities, regarding transmission infrastructure located within the state of New Hampshire, and to fund the investigation through a special assessment in an amount not to exceed $350,000.
IV. Confidentiality. All data submitted under this subsection shall be handled in accordance with critical energy infrastructure information protocols and location and purpose data shall be redacted from public reports. “Critical energy infrastructure information protocols” means specific engineering, vulnerability, or detailed design protocols and procedures related to proposed or existing critical infrastructure, whether physical or virtual, that relate to the production, generation, transmission, transportation, or distribution of energy, the unauthorized disclosure of which could pose a risk to the security, reliability, or integrity of the infrastructure; such protocols are designated as confidential and exempt from public disclosure, as their release could be useful to a person planning an attack or otherwise causing harm to the infrastructure.