The bill introduces significant changes to New Hampshire's energy regulations, 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 provisions 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 public housing authorities and nonprofit educational institutions, enhancing their eligibility for participation in group net metering. Additionally, it increases the metering capacity threshold from 100 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts for certain facilities, streamlining the metering process for customer-generators.

Further amendments include defining "advanced nuclear resource" to encompass various generation IV nuclear technologies and establishing criteria for "low-moderate income community solar projects" that benefit residential customers at or below specific income thresholds. The bill modifies the timeline for investor-owned electric distribution utilities to issue requests for proposals for energy agreements, extending the deadline from 2025 to 2040, and allows utilities to procure energy from existing, new, or incremental sources with specific annual limits. It clarifies that advanced nuclear resources can procure a higher limit of energy compared to other sources, and extends the deadline for utilities to petition the public utilities commission for authorization to enter into agreements from 2026 to 2041. Overall, SB 447 aims to enhance the integration of advanced nuclear technologies and support low-income communities in accessing renewable energy resources.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 362-A:9, 362-A:1-a, 374-F:2, 362-F:2, 374-F:11
SB447 text: 162-B:4, 362-A:9, 362-A:1-a, 374-F:2, 362-F:2, 374-F:11