Bill Text: NH SB577 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Requiring the public utilities commission to revise its order affecting the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin, prohibiting the import of certain liquid fuels, and relative to the production of useful thermal energy.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-2)

Status: (Passed) 2018-06-29 - III. Remainder Effective 07/01/2018 [SB577 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2018-SB577-Amended.html

SB 577 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

03/08/2018   0721s

03/08/2018   0884s

3May2018... 1677h

 

2018 SESSION

18-2889

10/06

 

SENATE BILL 577

 

AN ACT requiring the public utilities commission to revise its order affecting the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin, prohibiting the import of certain liquid fuels, and relative to the production of useful thermal energy.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Rep. Theberge, Coos 3; Rep. Y. Thomas, Coos 3; Rep. Chandler, Carr. 1

 

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill:  

 

I.  Requires the public utilities commission to reopen a proceeding to revise to its order affecting the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin.

 

II.  Prohibits the import of certain liquid fuels and prohibits the sale of such fuels in 2019.

 

III.  Changes the inclusion in electric renewable energy class I for methane gas.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/08/2018   0721s

03/08/2018   0884s

3May2018... 1677h 18-2889

10/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

 

AN ACT requiring the public utilities commission to revise its order affecting the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin, prohibiting the import of certain liquid fuels, and relative to the production of useful thermal energy.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Findings. The general court finds that the continued operation of the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin is important to the energy infrastructure of the state of New Hampshire and important for the attainment of renewable energy portfolio standard goals of fuel diversity, capacity, and sustainability.

2  Public Utilities Commission; Proceedings; Authority to Amend Order.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the contrary, the public utilities commission shall reopen its Docket DE 10-195 and forthwith revise its Order No. 25,213 in the following manner:

I.  Suspension of Operation of Cap.  The public utilities commission shall amend its Order No. 25,213 (Docket DE 10-195) to suspend the operation of the cap on the cumulative reduction factor as set forth on page 97 of its Order for a period of 3 years from the date the operation of the cap would have otherwise taken effect.

II.  During the proceedings the Burgess BioPower plant shall, upon request, make their cost and profitability records available to the public utilities commission, which records shall be exempt from public disclosure under RSA 91-A:5, IV.  

3  Sulphur Limits; Import Prohibited.  Amend RSA 125-C:10-d to read as follows:

125-C:10-d  Sulfur Limits of Certain Liquid Fuels.

I.  No person shall import into the state any of the following liquid fuels:

(a)  No. 2 oil, also referred to as distillate oil, with a sulfur content greater than 0.0015 percent by weight;

(b)  No. 4 oil with a sulfur content greater than 0.25 percent by weight; or

(c)  Nos. 5 or 6 oil, also referred to as residual oil, with a sulfur content greater than 0.5 percent by weight.

II.  Beginning on February 1, 2019 and continuing thereafter, no person shall sell, offer for sale, supply, distribute for sale or use, except for fuel remaining in storage for a device not requiring a permit pursuant to RSA 125-C:11, any of the following liquid fuels:

(a)  No. 2 oil, also referred to as distillate oil, with a sulfur content greater than 0.0015 percent by weight;

(b)  No. 4 oil with a sulfur content greater than 0.25 percent by weight; or

(c)  Nos. 5 or 6 oil, also referred to as residual oil, with a sulfur content greater than 0.5 percent by weight.

[II] III.  The commissioner may temporarily allow the use of non-conforming fuels with respect to paragraph [I] II if there is a demonstrated need to do so based on an acute shortage of supply.

4  Electric Renewable Energy Classes; Useful Thermal Energy.  Amend RSA 362-F:4, I(e) to read as follows:

(e)  Methane gas if the methane gas energy output is in the form of useful thermal energy provided that the unit began operation after January 1, 2013.

5  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 3 of this act shall take effect 12:01 a.m. July 1, 2018.

II.  Section 4 of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

III.  The remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 2018.

 

LBAO

18-2889

Amended 4/6/18

 

SB 577- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENTS #2018-0721s and #2018-0884s)

 

AN ACT requiring the public utilities commission to consider its order affecting the Burgess BioPower plant in Berlin, prohibiting the import of certain liquid fuels, and relative to the production of useful thermal energy.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [ X ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other - Various Governmental Funds

 

 

 

 

 

COUNTY:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) indicates sections 1 and 2 of the bill concerning the Burgess BioPower plant (Burgess) instruct the PUC to consider whether to raise the level of the cumulative reduction factor in the contract between Eversource and Burgess.  If the cumulative reduction factor were higher it would allow Burgess to continue to charge Eversource for its output which would increase Eversource's costs related to the contract.  Because the costs of the Burgess contract are paid by Eversource customers, if such an increase occurred it would increase costs to customers above the $100 million cap on the energy component of the current contract. To the extent that the state, county and local governments are Eversource ratepayers, increasing the cumulative reduction fund would increase their electricity bills as all over-market costs associated with the contract are recovered through the stranded cost reduction charge.  Because it is not possible to know the outcome of a future PUC docket, such increases are speculative and therefore the impact on costs is indeterminable.  If the PUC were to raise the cumulative reduction factor, it could potentially allow the Burgess plant to operate longer than under the current contract.  Increased operation would likely increase plant value and potentially increase local tax revenues.  Because such an increase in tax revenues is speculative, the effect on local revenues is indeterminable.

 

The PUC states section 4 of the bill clarifies that certain methane gas energy output may qualify as useful thermal energy and be eligible for renewable energy certificates under RSA 362-F.  Eligible facilities using methane gas to produce useful thermal energy would create Class I Thermal renewable energy certificates (RECs), thereby increasing the supply of Class I Thermal renewable energy certificates.  That increase in Class I Thermal REC supply would help New Hampshire meet its renewable portfolio standard goals and could put downward pressure on Class I Thermal REC prices.  REC prices are included in electricity rates, and therefore impact the costs to state, county and local governmental units, to the extent they are electricity consumers.  The amount of these cost impacts are indeterminable.

 

The Department of Environmental Services indicates section 3 of the bill prohibits the import of certain liquid fuels and prohibits the sale of such fuels in 2019.  It is the Department’s understanding, based on information from fuel suppliers, there would be no significant price differential once low sulfur fuel was implemented throughout the northeast region, which will happen in July 2018.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Public Utilities Commission and Department of Environmental Services

 

 

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