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SB 228 · 2025 · Senate · Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Limits on community solar programs

AI-generated

relative to the limitations on community customer generators.

Modifies capacity limits, terminology, and eligibility for community solar projects, sets size limits for low- and moderate-income solar arrays, allows group net metering members to sign agreements with multiple hosts, and expands the definition of political subdivision to include not-for-profits.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 1, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✕House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Modifies the scope and capacity limits of the community solar projects, as well as the terminology used to describe the beneficiaries. II. Places limits on the size of the solar arrays for low-moderate income community solar projects. III. Ensures that group net metering members can sign agreements with multiple group hosts, regardless of on-bill crediting participation, as long as the combined load doesn't exceed their total load. IV. Expands the definition of "political subdivision" to include not-for-profits, while removing the previous specification about special purpose entities.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as amended by the Senate. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“A customer-generator may elect to become a group host for the purpose of reducing or otherwise controlling the energy costs of a group of customers [who are not customer-generators, except that a political subdivision, as defined in RSA 362-A:1-a, II-c, or the owner of a facility described in RSA 362-A:9, XX, that is a customer-generator, may participate as a group member].”
Section 1
“The department shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, to ensure that group net metering members may sign an agreement with more than one group host regardless of whether they participate in on-bill crediting, so long as portions of that member’s load which are allocated to each host, when combined, shall not exceed that member’s total load.”
Section 2
“On or before July 1, 2022, the department shall report on the costs and benefits of such an addition and the development of the market for low-moderate income community solar projects, and provide a recommendation on whether the addition shall be increased or decreased.”
Section 3
“A single net meter that shows the customer's net energy usage by measuring both the inflow and outflow of electricity internally shall be the extent of metering that is required at facilities with a total peak generating capacity of not more than [100] 500 kilowatts.”
Section 4

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. David WattersDPrime
  • Sen. Kevin AvardRChair· Energy and Natural Resources
  • Sen. Victoria SullivanRVice Chair· Education
  • Sen. Cindy RosenwaldDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Kat McGheeDRanking Member· Science, Technology, and Energy
  • Rep. Thomas CormenDDeputy Ranking Member· Science, Technology, and Energy

Also: Sen. Donovan FentonD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD, Rep. Tony CaplanD

Public testimony

29 signed in online · 13 wrote testimony

90% support10% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This legislation will greatly improve residential access to clean sustainable solar PV, which could directly benefit my household and those of my neighbors as well as many others around our heavily wooded Granite State.…”
— Doug Bogen, Barringtonsupports
“The more solar power accessible to our citizens, the better!”
— Mary Cadwallader, Hanoversupports
“I support this bill because I think it will make solar energy more accessible to people who may not be able to install solar panels on their own property.solar projects, the bill ensures that these communities are not left out of the benefits of solar energy.…”
— Shirley Montgomery, Hanoversupports
“This is not right because it is simply not true - "Expands the definition of "political subdivision" to include not-for-profits, while removing the previous specification about special purpose entities". A not-for-profit will never be a subdivision of government.…”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuaopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0718s5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateVoice voteCommittee amendment 2025-0718sadopted
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0718sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass6–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Apr 21, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • May 1, 2025HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted190–151How they voted
    Overall
    56% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    189–299% yea
    Democrats
    1–1491% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingSenate Energy and Natural Resources1:33:07–2:00:5627m 49slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0718s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-0718s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-0718s — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 27, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 14, 2025Public hearingHouse Science, Technology and Energy6:38:45–6:43:284m 43slocated in the stream transcript==CANCELLED== Public Hearing; Public Hearing
  • Apr 21, 2025Public hearingHouse Science, Technology and Energy4:09:45–4:17:458mlocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Full Committee Work Session; Executive Session
  • May 1, 2025Floor debateHouse floor39:51–44:354m 44slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 190-151

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 3
  2. Feb 11, 2025SenHearing: 02/11/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:40 am; SC 9
  3. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0718s, 03/13/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-0718s, AA, VV; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  5. Mar 13, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0718s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  6. Mar 27, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 03/27/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 14
  7. Mar 27, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
  8. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Science, Technology and Energy HJ 11 P. 113
  9. Apr 14, 2025House==CANCELLED== Public Hearing: 04/14/2025 01:00 pm LOB 302-304
  10. Apr 14, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/14/2025 02:00 pm LOB 302-304
  11. Apr 21, 2025HouseFull Committee Work Session: 04/21/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  12. Apr 21, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 04/21/2025 01:00 pm LOB 302-304
  13. Apr 21, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 04/21/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 22 P. 15
  14. Apr 23, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  15. May 1, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 190-151 05/01/2025 HJ 13 P. 13

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.