CONCORD — The House of Representatives voted 201-138 today to pass HB 166, relative to funding energy efficiency programs. Rep. John Mann (D-Alstead), prime sponsor of the legislation, released the following statement:
“The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has been serving the citizens of New Hampshire for more than 100 years as an independent, adjudicative body in the interest of quality and reliable power. With impartiality maintained through open courtroom-like proceedings, the PUC guards the public interest while balancing it with adequate compensation for the suppliers of electric power.
The notion of prior approval for individual PUC actions, first introduced last session, is foreign to this arrangement and will cause long, costly delays. House Bill 166 restores this century-old independence without limiting legislative oversight, allowing the PUC to continue to fund energy-efficiency projects through a small charge on electric bills.
Energy efficiency is known to be cheaper than any kind of power generation, and failure to reduce New Hampshire’s portion of demand within our region will result in increased rates. Investing in energy efficiency is a beneficial necessity, resulting in accelerated savings to ratepayers and the overall economy over time.
To address affordability for low-income households, the bill also includes a reminder that inexpensive or discounted LED bulbs are efficient enough to “pay back” any bill impact resulting from energy efficiency investment.”
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