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New Hampshire PBF/ USF History, Legislation, Implementation

Legislation Cite and Date
HB 1392 (5/96), PUC DR 96-150 (2/97)
PUC Orders (11/00)

Low-Income Provisions
HB 1392 requires that a utility must provide "programs and mechanisms that enable residential customers with Low-Incomes to manage and afford essential electricity."  And, "a non-bypassable and competitively neutral system benefits charge applied to the use of the distribution system may be used to fund public benefits...such as programs for low-income customers."

Low-Income Rate Assistance
An electric assistance program, the tiered-discount program (TDP), began in October 2002. A modified percentage of income plan, its tiers are structured to provide qualified low-income households with monthly energy bill payments. Under a new design implemented by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission in FY 2007, customers are responsible for electric bills equal to approximately 4.5 percent of household income.

The PUC on September 1, 2005 approved an order creating a one-year pilot program for qualifying customers of Keyspan and Northern/Unitil. Customers who qualified for one of 13 means-tested programs, including LIHEAP and the EAP, were eligible for the pilot and received a discount of up to 50 percent on the delivery portion of their bill, amounting to about $800,000 during FY 2006. In June of 2006, the utilities and the PUC agreed to continue the program and to no longer consider it a pilot.

Low-Income Conservation
Statewide Core Energy Efficiency Program, including low-income component, began June 1, 2002. Eligible low-income households can receive up to $4,000 in energy efficiency measures and program services.

Annual Funding (2010)
Rate Assistance: Electric - $16 million; gas - $1.5 million
Conservation: $2.5 million

Funding Mechanism
All electric distribution customers contribute to a system benefit charge.
Rate Assistance: 1.5 mills per kWh increased to 1.8 mills per kWH in 2010 (through June 30, 2011)
Conservation: 1.8 mills per kWh reduced to 1.5 mills per kWH in 2010 (through June 30, 2011)

Administration
Rate assistance: Utilities with implementation by local community action agencies.
Conservation: Utilities

Pre-Restructuring Funding
Rate Assistance: none
Conservation: $500,000

More information:

2-year plans (2011 and 2012) for the Core programs and gas utilities

The website of the Core Energy Efficiency Programs describes each utility’s programs.

Page last updated: October 21, 2011