New Hampshire

Legislative activities

The New Hampshire state legislature started dealing with what would eventually turn into smart grids by passing legislation focusing on net-metering in 1998. It also established contractual methods for entering into solar easements in 1985. [3, 4]

In July 2008, Governor Lynch signed legislation, effective in September 2008, authorizing rate recovery for utility investments in distributed energy resources (SB 451). The purpose of the law is to stimulate public-utility investment in distributed resources as they benefit the “transmission and distribution system under state regulatory oversight.” The law defines “distributed energy resources” as to include demand response and “technologies or devices located on or interconnected to the local electric distribution system for purposes including but not limited to reducing line losses, supporting voltage regulation, or peak load shaving.” [1]

In 2008 the New Hampshire legislator created the Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Energy Board to “to promote and coordinate energy efficiency, demand response, and sustainable energy programs in the state.” [2]

Regulatory activities

As New Hampshire has primarily unbundled their electric utilities most of the utilities deal primarily with distribution charges, as such the Public Service Company of New Hampshire had approved time-of-use rates for residential and business customers prior to 2007, as well as load management program. [5]

“In January 2008, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued an Order in its proceeding to consider adopting PURPA Standard 14 (“Time-Based Metering and Communications”) as enacted in EPACT 2005 in which it determined that it is “appropriate to implement” time-based metering standards. Though the Commission endorsed the idea of establishing time-based metering standards, it deferred the actual creation and implementation of them to future proceedings:

“[It is] Further Ordered, that the details, including cost-benefit analyses, form of rate design, time of implementation and applicable customer classes shall be determined in a separate proceeding or proceedings to be initiated by the Commission.”

In September 2008, the Commission issued an “Order Concluding Investigation” in which it directed its Staff to create a working group to guide deployment of AMI and time-based rates:

“ORDERED, that Staff shall convene a meeting among the parties to this proceeding for the purpose of establishing a working group to facilitate the evaluation and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure and time-based rates in New Hampshire and that such working group make a report to the Commission by December 1, 2008 with regard to next steps toward utility specific cost-benefit analyses regarding such implementation and related matters….”” [1]

Time-of-Use, Time-of-Day or Peak Load Pricing rates break the cost for electricity into on-peak, or off-peak energy pricing.

Load management credits the spot market price for electricity in the New Hampshire Zone of the New England ISO for a customer who voluntarily reduces their load when notified by the company of an interruption.

Utilities and Rate Schedules

National Grid
- National Grid Residential Rates
- National Grid Business Rates

Public Service Company of New Hampshire
- Public Service Company of New Hampshire Rates

Unitil Energy Systems, Inc.
- Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. Rates

See the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) for information on consumer-owned Cooperatives: http://www.nreca.org/members/MemberDirectory/Pages/default.aspx

State-Level Incentives

New Hampshire offers a community solar lending program, property tax exemption for solar, loans for wind, hydroelectric and solar.

More information can be found in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE): http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=NH

Additional Resources

State Energy Office:
- New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning

State Authority Dealing with Energy Regulation:
- New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission
- Docket Search: http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Regulatory/docketbk.htm

State of New Hampshire Revised Statutes

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE): http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=NH

References

[1] Demand Response and Smart Metering Policy Actions Since the Energy Policy Act of 2005: A Summary for State Officials, Prepared by the U.S. Demand Response Coordinating Committee for The National Council on Electricity Policy, Fall 2008. URL: http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/NCEP_Demand_Response_1208.pdf
[2] Title X Public Health, Chapter 125-o Multiple Pollutant Reduction Program. URL: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/X/125-O/125-O-5-a.htm
[3] Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, New Hampshire – Net Metering, 07/29/2009. URL: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NH01R&re=1&ee=1
[4] Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, New Hampshire Solar Easements, 02/03/2010. URL: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NH02R&re=1&ee=1
[5] Public Service Company of New Hampsire, Electricity Delivery Service Tariff. URL: https://www.psnh.com/RatesTariffs/Home/Residential-Electric-Rates.aspx