This bill seeks to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Department of Energy in New Hampshire, particularly in contested cases involving utility regulation. It mandates that the PUC must approve any settlement agreement signed by all parties unless it finds any provision contrary to law. The bill introduces new language that defines the PUC's authority to conduct contested adjudicative proceedings regarding public utility rates and services, while also deleting references to the PUC's supervisory power and inspection authority, which will now be primarily managed by the Department of Energy. Additionally, a new section is established to outline the settlement approval process in contested cases, emphasizing the importance of timely resolutions that reflect consensus among involved parties.

Furthermore, HB 535-FN proposes significant changes to the oversight responsibilities of the PUC and the Department of Energy, transferring the monitoring of public utilities to the Department. This includes the obligation for the Department to petition the PUC for relief if a utility fails to meet its legal obligations. The bill repeals RSA 365:19, which pertains to PUC investigations, and shifts responsibilities such as investigating utility practices and reporting capital improvements directly to the Department. While the bill does not allocate new funding, it will require the hiring of three new staff members within the Department of Energy to manage the increased workload, with estimated costs of $434,000 in FY 2026 and $440,000 in FY 2027 and FY 2028. Overall, the bill aims to redefine the regulatory framework for public utilities in New Hampshire.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 363:1, 365:6, 365:7, 374:3, 374:4, 374:5, 374:7, 374:18, 365:19