The bill, HB 710-FN, introduces significant updates to New Hampshire's energy policy, particularly focusing on advanced nuclear resources (ANR) and community solar projects. It defines "advanced nuclear resource" and includes it alongside renewable energy sources for utility services. Key changes include raising the capacity limit for community solar projects aimed at low-moderate income households from 6 megawatts to 18 megawatts, and allowing group net metering members to enter agreements with multiple hosts, provided their total load does not exceed their capacity. The bill also expands the definition of "political subdivision" to include nonprofit educational institutions, enhancing their eligibility for group net metering participation. Additionally, it increases the peak generating capacity threshold for certain metering requirements from 100 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing laws regarding electric utility restructuring and energy source definitions. It allows investor-owned electric distribution utilities to develop multi-year purchased power agreements for energy procurement, extending the proposal deadline from 2025 to 2040. The bill clarifies that all megawatt hours procured must come from existing, new, or incremental electric energy sources, while also setting limits on energy procurement from single sources, particularly advanced nuclear resources. The timeline for utilities to petition the public utilities commission for agreement authorization is pushed from 2026 to 2041, and it specifies that existing electric energy sources include those operational before January 1, 2011. Overall, the bill aims to facilitate the integration of advanced nuclear resources into the energy market while supporting low-moderate income communities through solar energy initiatives, with a negligible fiscal impact expected.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 374-F:2, 374-F:3, 374-G:4
As Amended by the House: 374-F:2
As Amended by the Senate: 362-A:9, 362-A:1-a, 374-F:2, 362-F:2, 374-F:11