This bill establishes a statewide online energy data platform aimed at enhancing consumer access to granular energy usage data, thereby promoting efficiency and consumer empowerment in New Hampshire's electric and natural gas systems. The bill incorporates new legal language, specifically defining "statewide" as applicable to all electric and natural gas utility service territories in New Hampshire. It also repeals and reenacts sections of RSA 378:51, outlining the framework for the platform as approved by the commission in Order No. 26,589, which includes governance, data standards, and financial security measures. The governance council, which includes various stakeholders, is tasked with overseeing the platform's development and ensuring that utility investments are prudent and beneficial.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes that utilities can only recover costs that are prudently incurred and investments that are deemed "used and useful." The Department of Energy is authorized to adopt further rules necessary for the platform's implementation. While the bill does not allocate funding or authorize new positions, it is anticipated that the establishment and maintenance of the platform will incur significant costs, with initial estimates ranging from $4.6 million to $7 million, and annual operational costs between $272,800 and $416,400. The fiscal impact on state, county, and local expenditures remains indeterminable due to the lack of comprehensive data on electricity and natural gas consumption.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 378:50