Bill Text: NH HB142 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to the operation of the Burgess Biopower plant.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2023-08-21 - Vetoed by Governor Sununu 08/18/2023 House Journal 17 [HB142 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2023-HB142-Introduced.html
HB 142 - AS INTRODUCED
2023 SESSION
23-0569
10/08
HOUSE BILL 142
AN ACT relative to the operation of the Burgess Biopower plant.
SPONSORS: Rep. Vose, Rock. 5
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
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ANALYSIS
This bill allows the public utilities commission to amend its orders as necessary to protect the continued operation of the Burgess Biopower plant.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
23-0569
10/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT relative to the operation of the Burgess Biopower plant.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Findings. The general court finds that the continued operation of the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin: (a) is desirable to the energy infrastructure of the state of New Hampshire; (b) is a source of indigenously-sourced, reliable baseload power that contributes to regional fuel security and reliability of the regional electricity grid; (c) is important for the attainment of renewable energy portfolio standard goals of fuel diversity, capacity, sustainability and energy independence; (d) is significant to the continued health of New Hampshire’s forests; (e) provides valuable support to the timber industry; and (f) is a contributor of jobs and to the economy of both the North Country and the state as a whole.
2 Public Utilities Commission; Authority to Amend Orders. Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, any order issued or settlement agreement approved by the public utilities commission to the contrary, including but not limited to any orders issued in public utilities commission Dockets DE 10-195, DE 19-142, DE 11-250, DE 14-238, and DE 22-050, the public utilities commission may amend any of its orders as necessary to protect the continued operation of the Burgess Biopower plant as follows:
I. Given the contributions, both economic and energy-related, that the Burgess Biopower plant provides to the state, any and all relief provided to the Burgess Biopower plant shall be deemed to be reasonable, legitimate, and in the public interest for the purposes of RSA 374:57, or any provision of law applicable to the approval of power purchase agreements.
II. In order to ensure the continued viability of Burgess Biopower, any proceeding conducted by the public utilities commission shall be conducted on an expedited basis, by opening a docket within 30 days after passage of this act and issuing a final order implementing the relief provided in this act no later than 6 months from the effective date of this act.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
