Committee Summary for Senate Energy and Natural Resources (03/24/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB1742 House amendment 00:03:46.349 - 8:02:38 AM	Public Hearing	(New Title) relative to customer-generators inadvertently enrolled in a municipal or county aggregation program.	Vose, Michael(R)[A-]2025
HB1742 2024 committee amendment 00:20:00.000 - 8:18:52 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) relative to customer-generators inadvertently enrolled in a municipal or county aggregation program.	Vose, Michael(R)[A-]2025
HB1620 00:25:00.000 - 8:23:52 AM	Public Hearing	(New Title) requiring the removal of residential heating oil underground after 12 consecutive months of non-use except in certain circumstances.	Perez, Kristine(R)[B+]2025
HB1733 House amendment 00:43:54.757 - 8:42:46 AM	Public Hearing	relative to default electric service procurement and the recovery of competitive market supply costs.	Harrington, Michael(R)[A]2025
HB1535 02:10:00.000 - 10:08:52 AM	Public Hearing	relative to clarifying eligible renewable energy classes under the renewable portfolio standard.	Cormen, Thomas(D)[F]2025

HB1742 House amendment: Dina Dennis, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire Support00:03:46.349 - 8:02:38 AM; Dina Dennis, Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for CPCNH, along with Dr. Jackson Kaswari, supports HB 1742 as amended by the House. She highlights issues with incomplete utility data causing inadvertent enrollment of net metered customers in aggregation programs. CPCNH chose not to enroll most net metered customers due to lack of granular export data and net exports not counting toward wholesale load obligations. She argues the current net metering is suboptimal as costs and benefits are socialized, and the bill provides necessary safeguards to protect consumers and reinforce aggregation laws.
HB1742 House amendment: Josh Elliott, Department of Energy Information Only00:12:00.000 - 8:10:52 AM; Josh Elliott, Director of the Division of Policy and Programs at the Department of Energy, explains the bill's intent but suggests an amendment to lines 13-17 to clarify retroactive net metering credits. He proposes adding 'for the customer generator' after 'effect' on line 15 to ensure customers return to their original NEM tariff (1.0 or 2.0) after inadvertent disenrollment, preventing unintended shifts. He clarifies that 'inadvertent disenrollment' refers to disenrollment from utility default service, not the aggregator.
HB1742 House amendment: Michael Lovacata, Eversource Support00:18:46.349 - 8:17:38 AM; Michael Lovacata from Eversource supports the bill, agreeing with previous speakers on the need. He suggests a minor amendment to line 16, changing 'three months' to 'four months' for consistency with the prior sentence on billing cycles, regarding recoverable credits for exported energy.
HB1742 2024 committee amendment: Committee Discussion and Vote Vote00:20:00.000 - 8:18:52 AM; The committee moves into executive session. They adopt a committee amendment adding 'for the customer generator' after 'effect' on line 15 to clarify net metering tariffs. They discuss and adopt another amendment changing 'three' to 'four' months on line 16 for consistency. The committee recommends HB 1742 pass with amendments on a voice vote, with no opposition. Senator Hocking takes the bill out.
HB1620: Representative Peter Bixby, Dover Support00:25:00.000 - 8:23:52 AM; Representative Peter Bixby, ranking member of House Environment and Agriculture, introduces HB 1620. The bill defines residential heating oil underground storage tanks and requires removal of those no longer in service, such as upon change in heating system or owner intent not to use. It references fire code for removal procedures, including filling with inert substance if structurally impossible. Upon property transfer, existence of tanks must be disclosed. He notes cleanup costs exceed prevention, and the oil remediation fund assists homeowners.
HB1620: Mr. Bishop, DES Oil Remediation Division Information Only00:33:46.349 - 8:32:38 AM; Mr. Bishop from DES provides information on the oil discharge detection, cleanup and remediation fund (ODD fund). Homeowners face a $500 deductible for cleanup of releases, up to $500,000 cap. The fund does not cover tank removal unless low-income via the Safe Tank program (up to $4,500). He notes few underground tank spills (less than 5 per year out of 60-100 total). Changing eligibility for removal funding would require statutory amendment to RSA 146D. He agrees to research fiscal impact of broader removal funding.
HB1733 House amendment: Representative Michael Vose, Rockingham 5 Information Only00:43:54.757 - 8:42:46 AM; Representative Michael Vose, Chair of House Science, Technology, and Energy, provides background on HB 1733, which passed the House unanimously without public hearing on the amendment combining two prior bills. The bill prohibits recovering undercollections via non-bypassable charges. He recommends removing lines 6-10 prohibiting spot market purchases, as PUC commissioners argue it removes a tool to lower rates. Suggests interim study due to ongoing PUC and DOE investigations and recent winter impacts on collections.
HB1733 House amendment: Representative Mike Harrington, Stratford 18 Information Only00:50:00.000 - 8:48:52 AM; Representative Mike Harrington notes the bill's amendment lacked public hearing, potentially missing issues. The Department of Energy is conducting a comprehensive study on default service rates, risk mitigation, and market limits. Recent cold winter may cause significant undercollections. Suggests awaiting study results before additional controls, as current PUC order already prohibits non-bypassable charges.
HB1733 House amendment: Representative Eric Vose Information Only00:58:54.757 - 8:57:46 AM; Representative Vose explains the complexities of default service rates, highlighting customer dissatisfaction with potential surcharges for under-collections and the risk of customers switching to competitive suppliers to avoid them. He discusses the lack of mechanisms to recover from former default customers and emphasizes the need for more time to study the issue, including awaiting the DOE study on optimal market participation to minimize risk. He recommends interim study or bringing the bill back next year rather than passing it now, noting the PUC's existing rules on non-bypassable charges and the complicated positions from various stakeholders.
HB1733 House amendment: Bart Fromuth, Freedom Energy Logistics Support01:13:54.757 - 9:12:46 AM; Bart Fromuth strongly supports HB 1733, arguing it restores prudent, risk-averse default service procurement standards. He notes that risk-averse procurement would have lowered winter costs by avoiding exposure to spot market spikes, that artificial standard offer prices damage competition by misleading customers and disadvantaging suppliers, and that preventing non-bypassable charges for cost recovery protects competitive customers. He cites RSA 374-F:3, emphasizing the commission's role to minimize risk without harming markets or creating deferred costs, and states the recent 50% spot market exposure deviates from this mandate.
HB1733 House amendment: Michael O'Connor, Eversource Oppose01:28:54.757 - 9:27:46 AM; Michael O'Connor opposes the bill as passed by the House, citing lack of consideration for their alternative language with consumer protections. He provides context on default service as a pass-through with no utility profit, explaining the PUC's directive for 50% spot market procurement to avoid risk premiums after high prices post-Ukraine invasion. He notes neutrality on prohibiting direct market procurements but concerns over prohibiting non-bypassable charge recovery, as the PUC already ruled against it, and argues the bill limits future flexibility for the commission in recovering prudently incurred costs, especially with customer migrations. He supports interim study and offers language for failed procurements.
HB1733 House amendment: Alec O'Meara, Unitil Information Only01:43:54.757 - 9:42:46 AM; Alec O'Meara states Unitil has no formal position on HB 1733, emphasizing utilities do not profit from default service and act as a risk-averse backstop per PUC directives. Drawing from Massachusetts experience with failed bids leading to spot market reliance, he discusses philosophical tensions between competitive pricing and risk aversion. He highlights risks from rapid customer base drops due to aggregations, potentially amplifying over/under-collections on remaining default customers, especially during market volatility.
HB1733 House amendment: Josh Elliott, Department of Energy Oppose01:58:54.757 - 9:57:46 AM; Josh Elliott opposes HB 1733, noting initial PUC study post-Ukraine invasion showed savings from spot market practices over 15 months. He discusses improving proxy price methodology to better reflect costs, avoiding undercutting competitive markets while keeping rates low, without tying PUC hands. Using a car insurance analogy, he illustrates balancing risk and premiums for savings. He agrees current policy keeps costs within default service but warns the bill handcuffs the commission in emergencies or with customer base shrinkage leading to death spirals, and questions if current risk premiums are worth it given real data.
HB1535: Representative Tom Korman, Grafton 15, Ward 3 Lebanon Support02:10:00.000 - 10:08:52 AM; Representative Korman introduces HB 1535, dubbed the 'semicolon bill,' to clarify RSA 362-F:4 on class one renewable sources due to punctuation issues causing DOE to deny renewable energy credits for electricity from methane gas at Lebanon's landfill, allowing only thermal use. The bill rewrites for clarity: geothermal, methane gas, and solar thermal energy qualify for electricity without post-2013 operation requirement, but thermal energy does. He notes original 2007 RPS intent included methane for electricity, altered unintentionally by 2018 amendment lacking punctuation.
HB1535: Josh Elliott, Department of Energy Information Only02:15:00.000 - 10:13:52 AM; Josh Elliott has no objection to HB 1535, which clarifies punctuation inconsistencies in RSA 362-F:4 leading to differing interpretations for geothermal, methane gas, and solar thermal. The bill aligns treatments, and DOE appreciates legislative clarity on whether 2018 changes were intentional. The January 1, 2013 date ties to when related provisions took effect for facilities coming online post-regime change. Options include recodifying for separation or leaving as is; either provides needed clarity without circular reference issues.

Avard, Kevin(Chairman)(R)[B]2025	Pearl, Howard (V Chairman)(R)[B]2025	Watters, David(D)[D-]2025
Rosenwald, Cindy(D)[F]2025	McConkey, Mark(R)[B]2025