HB 166 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0114
10/06
HOUSE BILL 166
AN ACT relative to funding energy efficiency programs.
SPONSORS: Rep. Mann, Ches. 2
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
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ANALYSIS
This bill provides for funding of energy efficiency programs through the system benefits charge.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0114
10/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT relative to funding energy efficiency programs.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Electric Utility Restructuring; Policy Principles; System Benefits Charge. Amend RSA 374-F:3, VI to read as follows:
VI. Benefits for All Consumers. Restructuring of the electric utility industry should be implemented in a manner that benefits all consumers equitably and does not benefit one customer class to the detriment of another. Costs should not be shifted unfairly among customers. A nonbypassable and competitively neutral system benefits charge applied to the use of the distribution system [may] shall be used to fund energy efficiency programs, as well as for other public benefits related to the provision of electricity. Such other public benefits, as approved by regulators, may include, but not necessarily be limited to, programs for low-income customers, [energy efficiency programs,] funding for the electric utility industry's share of commission expenses pursuant to RSA 363-A, support for research and development, and investments in commercialization strategies for new and beneficial technologies. Except in the case of funding for energy efficiency programs, legislative approval of the New Hampshire general court shall be required to increase the system benefits charge. This requirement of prior approval of the New Hampshire general court shall not apply to the energy efficiency portion of the system benefits charge consistent with or authorized only by Order No. 25,932 issued by the commission, dated August 2, 2016.
2 Electric Utility Restructuring; Policy Principles. Amend RSA 374-F:3, X to read as follows:
X. Energy Efficiency. Restructuring should be designed to reduce market barriers to investments in energy efficiency and provide incentives for appropriate demand-side management and not reduce cost-effective customer conservation. Utility sponsored energy efficiency programs should target cost-effective opportunities that may otherwise be lost due to market barriers. Such energy efficiency programs may make available to low-income customers at low or no cost products such as LED bulbs or programmable thermostats to generate immediate savings which compensate for electric rate increases that support energy efficency programs.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.