sb 0045

CHAPTER 86

SB 45 - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT relative to the legislative oversight committee on electric utility restructuring and relative to service from a rural electric cooperative under special contracts.

SPONSORS: Sen. Johnson, Dist 3; Sen. Below, Dist 5; Rep. J. Bradley, Carr 8; Rep. Thomas, Belk 3

This bill updates the membership and duties of the legislative oversight committee on electric utility restructuring. This bill also limits the changes that the public utilities commission may make to certain approved special contracts for service from a rural electric cooperative.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT relative to the legislative oversight committee on electric utility restructuring and relative to service from a rural electric cooperative under special contracts.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

86:1 Oversight Committee, Establishment, Report, Meetings; Senate Membership. Amend RSA 374-F:5, I(b) to read as follows:

(b) Seven members of the senate, at least 2 of whom shall be members of the [~~executive departments and administration~~] energy and economic development committee, or its successor, and at least one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, appointed by the president of the senate.

86:2 Oversight Committee, Establishment, Report, Meetings; Terms of Members. Amend RSA 374-F:5, II(a) to read as follows:

(a) Committee members shall be appointed to [~~an initial term expiring on December 4, 1996. Subsequent terms shall be for up to 2 years~~] 2-year terms expiring on the first Wednesday of even-numbered years. Members may succeed themselves.

86:3 Public Utilities; Electric Utility Restructuring; Duties. Amend RSA 374-F:6 to read as follows:

I. [~~Following up the work of the retail wheeling and restructuring study committee established in 1995, 272.~~

~~II. Working with the commission to assess the results of the pilot program allowing for the competitive retail purchase of electricity established in 1995, 272.~~

~~III.~~] Working with the commission to develop any new legislation necessary to promote electric utility restructuring and retail choice of electricity suppliers and to propose changes to or recodification of existing statutes to be more consistent with the restructuring principles established in this chapter.

[~~IV.~~] II. Working with the commission and other agencies, where necessary, to implement this chapter and its restructuring principles.

III. Studying implementation issues related to the development of competitive electricity markets, including, but not limited to: the structure, effectiveness, and competitiveness of wholesale and retail electricity markets for New Hampshire; regional cooperation and standards; supply and reliability issues; and opportunities for consumers to monitor prices and alter the amount or timing of their electricity use.

86:4 Purpose and Findings. The general court finds that restructuring of the electric utility industry should not result in changes in the total rates of customers taking service under special contracts with a rural electric cooperative for the duration of those contracts, consistent with the general court's determination with respect to special contract customers of Public Service Company of New Hampshire in RSA 369-B:3, IV(b)(10).

86:5 New Section; Rural Electrification Associations; Special Contracts. Amend RSA 301 by inserting after section 62 the following new section:

301:63 Special Contracts. The commission shall not order changes in the total rates or impose

stranded cost, system benefits, or other restructuring charges under RSA 374-F if the result would be to cause changes in the total rates charged to, or the accounting for revenue received from customers taking service from a rural electric cooperative under special contracts approved pursuant to RSA 378:18 for the duration of those special contracts in effect as of May 1, 2000.