SB 234 revises New Hampshire’s Electric Assistance Program, which provides utility bill discounts to eligible low-income customers. The bill creates an electric assistance program advisory council made up of representatives from the Department of Energy, electric utilities, the Office of the Consumer Advocate, New Hampshire Legal Assistance, community action agencies, and local welfare administrators. The council would recommend the annual program budget and any design changes, with the commissioner of the Department of Energy required to adopt a unanimous recommendation or otherwise approve a budget after public comment.
The bill also changes the program year to begin on November 1 each year and sets the program’s funding cap through the system benefits charge at 2 mills per kilowatt-hour for the program year beginning November 1, 2025. After that, the cap would be adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W). The bill is described as a request of the Office of the Consumer Advocate and is intended to support continued funding for the electric assistance discounts provided to qualifying customers.
Impact
The bill amends RSA 374-F:4 to shift administration-related responsibilities for the Electric Assistance Program to the Department of Energy and to codify the advisory council structure and annual budget process. It also changes the funding mechanism by increasing and indexing the cap on the system benefits charge used to support the program, which affects electric utilities, ratepayers, and the Electric Assistance Program Dedicated Fund. The fiscal note indicates the higher cap could increase program revenue and expenditures by more than $5.3 million annually, with possible indirect cost increases for state, county, and local government electricity purchases.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill materials is generally supportive of maintaining and strengthening the Electric Assistance Program. The Department of Energy and the Office of the Consumer Advocate both describe the bill as workable with existing resources, and the Consumer Advocate specifically supports the transfer of oversight and the codification of the advisory board. The fiscal note frames the bill as a funding and administrative update rather than a major policy overhaul, suggesting a practical, program-focused approach.
Contention
The main point of contention is the increase in the system benefits charge cap, which would allow more money to be collected from electric customers to fund low-income assistance. While supporters view this as necessary to sustain or expand benefits for eligible households, the increase could raise costs for all ratepayers and for public entities that purchase electricity. Another potential issue is the administrative shift from the Public Utilities Commission to the Department of Energy, though the fiscal materials indicate that both agencies believe the transition can be handled without additional staffing. The bill also changes the timing of the program year, which is a technical but potentially important operational change for utilities and administrators.