1 New Sections; Task Force, Microgrid Pilot Program, and Cybersecurity Guidelines. Amend RSA 162-R by inserting after section 6 the following new sections:

162-R:7 Purpose. The purpose of this section is to promote New Hampshire's energy resilience and deployment of technologies supporting interstate trucking, marine shipping, microgrid development, and cybersecurity for distributed energy resources.

162-R:8 Transmission Corridor and Interstate Trucking Charging Terminals and Port Electrification Report.

I. There is hereby established a task force to report on transmission corridors, the location of heavy trucking charging terminals to serve New Hampshire interstate highways, and port electrification.

II. The task force shall consist of:

(a) The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee, who shall serve as chair and convening authority.

(b) The commissioner of the department of energy, or designee.

(c) The commissioner of the department of business and economic affairs, or designee.

(d) The director of the division of ports and harbors, or designee, solely for matters related to port electrification.

III. The department of transportation shall schedule meetings, set requirements, and administer the task force.

IV. The report shall:

(a) Identify projected electricity fuel needs for interstate trucking and the transmission and charging infrastructure required to support such needs, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC), direct high-voltage electric vehicle charging at distribution direct current substations of 230kV or higher, and the use of power inverters and direct current converters to connect transportation corridors with new renewable and non-renewable generation sources.

(b) Identify feasible highway transmission corridors to serve charging locations, with reference to the Northeast Corridor Freight Corridor Charging Plan for medium-and heavy-duty truck electrification identification of 2 sites in New Hampshire.

(c) Identify associated costs, funding sources, and potential models for private development.

(d) Identify regulatory issues related to the development of transmission corridors, charging terminals, and the siting of generation infrastructure at or adjacent to such terminals.

(e) Identify technologies for generation including photovoltaic carports, other potential on-site generation, and energy storage units.

(f) As determined by the director of the division of ports and harbors, identify feasible technologies and locations for charging infrastructure and energy supply for battery electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric ships, for shipping and fisheries, and portside power supply for conventional-fueled vessels. Assess applicable state, federal, and international regulations and regulatory barriers, and examine potential industry and federal funding sources.

V. Costs for report preparation shall be considered a recoverable expense, subject to department of energy authorization, and shall be borne by the department of energy.

VI. The report required by this section shall be completed on or before June 30, 2027. Copies shall be submitted to the governor, speaker of the house, president of the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate standing committees for transportation, energy, and commerce.

162-R:9 Department of Energy Authorization for Pilot Program for Microgrid Development.

I. The department of energy is authorized to establish a pilot program for New Hampshire microgrid development to promote transmission resilience and distributed energy development, including small modular reactors and economic development.

II. The department shall identify up to five potential sites for microgrid development and may adopt policies and regulations to promote the pilot program. The department shall collaborate with New Hampshire public utilities, the New Hampshire electric cooperative, and other businesses or industries that may participate.

III. Costs associated with the department's administrative and consulting expenses related to the pilot program shall be recoverable by department authorization; costs for pilot implementation shall be determined by the department and may be assigned to the developer.

IV. For the purposes of this section, "microgrid" means a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources acting as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid, with the ability to connect/disconnect to operate in grid-connected or island mode, improve reliability and resilience to grid disturbances, and enable local assets to collaborate to save costs, run during interruptions, or support remote operations. Microgrids may also feature system modeling/simulation, power electronic converters and control algorithms, controller hardware-in-the-loop testing, power hardware-in-the-loop testing, programmable AC/DC power supplies for grid/PV/battery emulation, and hybrid microgrid testing including distribution integration of wind turbines, PV, dynamometers, loads, and energy storage.

162-R:10 Cybersecurity and Electric Grid Interconnection Guidelines.

I. The department of energy, in consultation as deemed necessary with the governor's advisor for utility critical infrastructure cybersecurity, the managing director of the New England Utility Cybersecurity Integration Collaborative, New Hampshire Public Utilities, the New Hampshire electric cooperative, distributed energy resources businesses, and regional/federal transmission authorities, shall develop guidelines for cybersecurity for distributed energy generation and related devices connecting to off-site transmission or external communication systems.

II. The department shall implement regulations and rulemaking with opportunities for public comment. The report shall include recommendations for statutory changes or public utility commission actions as needed.

III. Costs for the report's preparation shall be a recoverable expense by department of energy authorization.

IV. The department shall complete the report by June 30, 2027, submitting copies to the governor, senate president, speaker of the house, and chairs of senate and house energy policy committees.

2 New Section; Cybersecurity Water. Amend RSA 485 by inserting after section 3-d the following new section:

485:3-e Cybersecurity Protection Program.

I. Public water systems shall implement a cybersecurity protection program that is commensurate with the size and complexity of the public water system in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

II. Public water systems that do not use an Internet-connected control system are exempt from the provisions of this section.

III. In this section "cybersecurity protection program" means steps to prevent an event from occurring on or conducted through a computer network that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of computers, information systems, communications systems, networks, physical or virtual infrastructure controlled by computers or information systems, or the information or processes residing thereon.

IV. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement a cybersecurity protection program for public water systems.

3 New Section; Cybersecurity Water. Amend RSA 485-A by inserting after section 5-e the following new section:

485-A:5-f Cybersecurity Protection Program.

I. Wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities shall implement a cybersecurity protection program that is commensurate with the size and complexity of the wastewater treatment plant or wastewater facility in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

II. Wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities that do not use an Internet-connected control system are exempt from the provisions of this section.

III. In this section "cybersecurity protection program" means steps to prevent an event from occurring on or conducted through a computer network that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of computers, information systems, communications systems, networks, physical or virtual infrastructure controlled by computers or information systems, or the information or processes residing thereon.

IV. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement a cybersecurity protection program for wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities.

4 Repeal. The following are repealed:

I. RSA 162-R:8, relative to the transmission corridor and interstate trucking charging terminals and port electrification report.

II. RSA 162-R:9, relative to the department of energy authorization for pilot program for microgrid development.

III. RSA 162-R:10, relative to cybersecurity and electric grid the interconnection guidelines.

5 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act takes effect July 1, 2027.

II. The remainder of this act takes effect upon passage.

1 New Sections; Task Force, Microgrid Pilot Program, and Cybersecurity Guidelines. Amend RSA 162-R by inserting after section 6 the following new sections:

162-R:7 Purpose. The purpose of this section is to promote New Hampshire's energy resilience and deployment of technologies supporting interstate trucking, marine shipping, microgrid development, and cybersecurity for distributed energy resources.

162-R:8 Transmission Corridor and Interstate Trucking Charging Terminals and Port Electrification Report.

I. There is hereby established a task force to report on transmission corridors, the location of heavy trucking charging terminals to serve New Hampshire interstate highways, and port electrification.

II. The task force shall consist of:

(a) The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee, who shall serve as chair and convening authority.

(b) The commissioner of the department of energy, or designee.

(c) The commissioner of the department of business and economic affairs, or designee.

(d) The director of the division of ports and harbors, or designee, solely for matters related to port electrification.

III. The department of transportation shall schedule meetings, set requirements, and administer the task force.

IV. The report shall:

(a) Identify projected electricity fuel needs for interstate trucking and the transmission and charging infrastructure required to support such needs, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC), direct high-voltage electric vehicle charging at distribution direct current substations of 230kV or higher, and the use of power inverters and direct current converters to connect transportation corridors with new renewable and non-renewable generation sources.

(b) Identify feasible highway transmission corridors to serve charging locations, with reference to the Northeast Corridor Freight Corridor Charging Plan for medium-and heavy-duty truck electrification identification of 2 sites in New Hampshire.

(c) Identify associated costs, funding sources, and potential models for private development.

(d) Identify regulatory issues related to the development of transmission corridors, charging terminals, and the siting of generation infrastructure at or adjacent to such terminals.

(e) Identify technologies for generation including photovoltaic carports, other potential on-site generation, and energy storage units.

(f) As determined by the director of the division of ports and harbors, identify feasible technologies and locations for charging infrastructure and energy supply for battery electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric ships, for shipping and fisheries, and portside power supply for conventional-fueled vessels. Assess applicable state, federal, and international regulations and regulatory barriers, and examine potential industry and federal funding sources.

V. Costs for report preparation shall be considered a recoverable expense, subject to department of energy authorization, and shall be borne by the department of energy.

VI. The report required by this section shall be completed on or before June 30, 2027. Copies shall be submitted to the governor, speaker of the house, president of the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate standing committees for transportation, energy, and commerce.

162-R:9 Department of Energy Authorization for Pilot Program for Microgrid Development.

I. The department of energy is authorized to establish a pilot program for New Hampshire microgrid development to promote transmission resilience and distributed energy development, including small modular reactors and economic development.

II. The department shall identify up to five potential sites for microgrid development and may adopt policies and regulations to promote the pilot program. The department shall collaborate with New Hampshire public utilities, the New Hampshire electric cooperative, and other businesses or industries that may participate.

III. Costs associated with the department's administrative and consulting expenses related to the pilot program shall be recoverable by department authorization; costs for pilot implementation shall be determined by the department and may be assigned to the developer.

IV. For the purposes of this section, "microgrid" means a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources acting as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid, with the ability to connect/disconnect to operate in grid-connected or island mode, improve reliability and resilience to grid disturbances, and enable local assets to collaborate to save costs, run during interruptions, or support remote operations. Microgrids may also feature system modeling/simulation, power electronic converters and control algorithms, controller hardware-in-the-loop testing, power hardware-in-the-loop testing, programmable AC/DC power supplies for grid/PV/battery emulation, and hybrid microgrid testing including distribution integration of wind turbines, PV, dynamometers, loads, and energy storage.

162-R:10 Cybersecurity and Electric Grid Interconnection Guidelines.

I. The department of energy, in consultation as deemed necessary with the governor's advisor for utility critical infrastructure cybersecurity, the managing director of the New England Utility Cybersecurity Integration Collaborative, New Hampshire Public Utilities, the New Hampshire electric cooperative, distributed energy resources businesses, and regional/federal transmission authorities, shall develop guidelines for cybersecurity for distributed energy generation and related devices connecting to off-site transmission or external communication systems.

II. The department shall implement regulations and rulemaking with opportunities for public comment. The report shall include recommendations for statutory changes or public utility commission actions as needed.

III. Costs for the report's preparation shall be a recoverable expense by department of energy authorization.

IV. The department shall complete the report by June 30, 2027, submitting copies to the governor, senate president, speaker of the house, and chairs of senate and house energy policy committees.

2 New Section; Cybersecurity Water. Amend RSA 485 by inserting after section 3-d the following new section:

485:3-e Cybersecurity Protection Program.

I. Public water systems shall implement a cybersecurity protection program that is commensurate with the size and complexity of the public water system in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

II. Public water systems that do not use an Internet-connected control system are exempt from the provisions of this section.

III. In this section "cybersecurity protection program" means steps to prevent an event from occurring on or conducted through a computer network that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of computers, information systems, communications systems, networks, physical or virtual infrastructure controlled by computers or information systems, or the information or processes residing thereon.

IV. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement a cybersecurity protection program for public water systems.

3 New Section; Cybersecurity Water. Amend RSA 485-A by inserting after section 5-e the following new section:

485-A:5-f Cybersecurity Protection Program.

I. Wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities shall implement a cybersecurity protection program that is commensurate with the size and complexity of the wastewater treatment plant or wastewater facility in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

II. Wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities that do not use an Internet-connected control system are exempt from the provisions of this section.

III. In this section "cybersecurity protection program" means steps to prevent an event from occurring on or conducted through a computer network that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of computers, information systems, communications systems, networks, physical or virtual infrastructure controlled by computers or information systems, or the information or processes residing thereon.

IV. The commissioner may adopt rules to implement a cybersecurity protection program for wastewater treatment plants or wastewater facilities.

4 Repeal. The following are repealed:

I. RSA 162-R:8, relative to the transmission corridor and interstate trucking charging terminals and port electrification report.

II. RSA 162-R:9, relative to the department of energy authorization for pilot program for microgrid development.

III. RSA 162-R:10, relative to cybersecurity and electric grid the interconnection guidelines.

5 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act takes effect July 1, 2027.

II. The remainder of this act takes effect upon passage.