Department of Energy To Set ‘Uniform Procedures’ for Interconnecting Energy Projects
Senate Bill 391 will set uniformity measures to improve New Hampshire energy processes.
According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, Gov. Chris Sununu approved Senate Bill 391 on Friday, which pushes the department to “set cost effective, timely, and predictable processes for customer generators wishing to interconnect to the state’s electric grid,” something that has been a challenge for larger solar projects in the state.
In New Hampshire, utility companies have essentially written their own rules for the process to interconnect solar projects over 1 megawatt, which is about enough energy to power 173 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Developers and clean energy advocates say this has often resulted in long, frustrating delays.
Within the next two months, the DOE must open a proceeding to examine and draft regulations that set “uniform procedures” for interconnecting energy projects to the infrastructure of the state’s investor-owned utilities. By October 2025, those draft rules must be submitted to the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, a body that provides legislative oversight to the regulatory process.
For some developers, the unpredictability of New Hampshire’s interconnection process has made it a less attractive place to invest.