Relative to utility companies adopting advanced meters.
Summary
HB 692 requires certain electric distribution utilities regulated by the Public Utilities Commission to develop a plan to offer interval and advanced metering functionality on an opt-in basis by November 1, 2026, if they have not already implemented, or are not actively implementing, such systems. The bill is aimed at customers who need more detailed meter data, especially limited producers, customer-generators, and customers interested in demand response, and it contemplates meter capabilities that can support hourly consumption or export reporting, load settlement, and participation in distributed energy resource markets.
The bill also sets out how the opt-in program would work financially and operationally. It allows utilities to use cellular communications and subscription-based meter data management systems, gives priority to certain distributed energy customers, and requires customers or their suppliers to pay incremental costs for advanced meters when demand is within the utility’s normal replacement-meter budget, with full costs borne by the requester if demand exceeds that budget. The commission is directed to ensure timely recovery of prudently incurred utility costs that are not otherwise paid by participating customers or suppliers. The act would take effect 60 days after passage.
Impact
HB 692 would add a new section to RSA 362-A governing access to interval and advanced metering functionality for electric distribution utilities under commission jurisdiction. It would not mandate immediate universal deployment, but it would require qualifying utilities to create an opt-in pathway and plan for advanced meters, potentially affecting utility procurement, meter data management, rate design, and cost recovery practices. The bill would also influence how net metering, limited producer accounting, and distributed energy resource participation are supported in state utility regulation.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive of modernization and consumer choice, with the stated purpose of improving customer understanding of energy use, enabling better planning, and supporting innovation in the electric system. The findings emphasize cost savings, clearer access to data, and benefits for distributed energy resources, suggesting a favorable policy orientation toward advanced metering. No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill text itself.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are cost, timing, and who pays for the new metering infrastructure. The bill shifts some costs to participating customers or their suppliers, especially when demand exceeds the utility’s normal replacement-meter budget, while also requiring the commission to allow recovery of prudently incurred utility costs. Another likely issue is whether advanced meters should be offered only as an opt-in program rather than as a broader or mandatory rollout, and whether the proposed technical requirements tied to ISO-NE markets and FERC Order 2222 are too specific or burdensome for utilities that have not yet begun implementation.