Allow Regulated Utilities to Build Renewable Generation (EGU Action 2.7)

To the extent that it increases New Hampshire's overall renewable energy capacity and the rate at which those resources are brought online and helps to reduce CO2 emissions, regulated utilities should be provided with limited authority to construct and/or acquire renewable generating assets. The only regulated electric utility that currently owns generation is Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), and under existing law PSNH and other utilities are only specifically authorized to invest in or own new small-scale distributed generation under a new 2008 law. As noted in the summary below, this issue has been an area of intense debate within the Legislature and a wide range of opinions exist among the various stakeholder groups across the state. However, in the interest of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing vulnerability to global energy price volatility, New Hampshire's energy planning efforts should consider the significant resources and experiences that utilities can provide in the development of new renewable generation, in conjunction with a strategy of aggressively encouraging new low-CO2 generation sources so that ultimately less fossil fuel generation plants are needed in New England. The key element to achieve the greenhouse gas reductions is to draft legislation that gives regulated utilities the authority to construct and/or acquire renewable generating assets. This authority should be provided with consideration to the impact that it will have on the benefits of market competition provided by non-utility owned merchant generating plants.