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Bill

SB 111

authorizing a reliability indexing credit pilot program.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tom Cormen and 5 co-sponsors

The bill would create a limited pilot for a Reliability Indexing Credit to incentivize improvements in electricity grid reliability.

Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 01/07/2026; SJ 1
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Bill Summary · SB 111

Summary of Bill: SB 111 (New Hampshire, 2026) — Authorizing a Reliability Indexing Credit Pilot Program

Note: Based on the action history provided, SB 111 was introduced in 2025 and eventually did not advance to enactment, with the committee voting to pass “Inexpedient to Legislate” and the bill being killed in January 2026. The summary below focuses on the bill’s stated purpose, proposed provisions, affected parties, and procedural timeline, as reflected in its title and bill history.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill proposes the creation of a pilot program to authorize a Reliability Indexing Credit (RIC) aimed at improving energy reliability and efficiency within the state’s electricity market.
  • The central aim is to incentivize actions or investments that enhance grid reliability, potentially through a credit or credit-like mechanism tied to reliability metrics.

Key Provisions (as proposed)

  • Pilot Program Authorization: Establishment of a limited-time pilot project to test a Reliability Indexing Credit. The program would operate for a defined period to evaluate effectiveness, feasibility, and impacts before broader adoption.
  • Reliability Indexing Credit (RIC): A financial incentive mechanism designed to reward entities (likely electricity market participants such as utilities, generators, or load-serving entities) that contribute to improving or maintaining grid reliability. The exact structure (e.g., eligibility criteria, calculation method, credit value, and distribution) would be specified in the implementing rules or the bill text.
  • Eligibility and Participation: Criteria determining which entities can participate in the pilot and how credits are earned (e.g., performance against reliability metrics, reduction in outages, grid resilience improvements, or response times during contingencies).
  • Administration and Oversight: A designated state agency or mechanism to administer the pilot, monitor reliability outcomes, ensure compliance, and report results. This could involve reporting requirements, data sharing, and periodic evaluations.
  • Payouts and Funding: Details on how credits are funded (e.g., from a dedicated fund, ratepayer charges, or program-specific budget) and how credits are monetized or applied (e.g., against capacity charges, energy charges, or as direct rebates).
  • Evaluation and Sunset: Provisions for evaluating the pilot’s performance, with a plan to determine whether the program should be expanded, modified, or terminated after the pilot period.
  • Protection of Consumers and Fairness: Safeguards to prevent cost shifting to consumers beyond the intended pilot scope, as well as fairness and non-discrimination in program participation and credit allocation.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Electric Utilities and Market Participants: Entities involved in generation, transmission, distribution, and service to customers could participate in the pilot and be eligible for RIC credits.
  • Ratepayers/Consumers: Potentially affected indirectly through any changes in electricity rates or charges that may fund or offset credits; the bill would aim to ensure consumer protections and limit unintended cost increases during the pilot.
  • State Agencies: Agencies responsible for energy policy, regulatory oversight, and program administration would implement, monitor, and report on the pilot.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction and Referral: Introduced in early 2025 and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (as indicated by “Introduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources”).
  • Committee Action: The committee reported back with a recommendation “Rereferred to Committee” in February 2025 and held a hearing on February 11, 2025.
  • Further Committee Consideration: The bill was re-referred or considered by the committee in March 2025, with a vote recorded (5-0) in February 2025 activity.
  • Final Committee Action and Fate: The committee reported “Inexpedient to Legislate” in November 2025 with a 5-0 vote, and the Senate Journal notes indicate the bill was killed with an “Inexpedient to Legislate” designation on January 7, 2026 (SJ 1).

Status and Likelihood

  • As of the action history, SB 111 did not become law. The final disposition was “Inexpedient to Legislate,” effectively stopping the bill from progressing to enactment during that session.
  • The pilot program concept, while not enacted, reflects legislative interest in experimenting with market-based incentives to bolster reliability.

If you would like, I can compare SB 111 to similar reliability credit or pilot programs in other states, or draft a plain-language impact analysis for stakeholders ( utilities, consumers, regulators) based on typical features of reliability credit pilots.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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