Lawmakers in Concord reached a deal Thursday to lay the groundwork for next-generation nuclear power in New Hampshire.
If small, modular reactors are an energy source of the future, New Hampshire lawmakers said they don’t want state laws or government officials to have to play catch-up.
“When the rest of the world is ready, when someone wants to build one of these things, New Hampshire will be ready, and I think that’s important,” said state Rep. Michael Vose, R-Epping.
House and Senate negotiators hammered out their differences over House Bill 221 Thursday morning, laying the groundwork for advanced nuclear resources.
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One sticking point was a Senate priority to include an expansion of solar power net metering, the money people and businesses with solar panels get back when they generate more power than they use.
“The governor wants nuclear. We want nuclear. Everybody wants nuclear,” said state Sen. Kevin Avard, R-Nashua. “But we also have a need now. We have a need for gas, nuclear. We have a need for businesses to come in. The Associated Grocers use solar left and right.”
“When you start talking about net metering for solar, you’re talking about unreliable energy, energy that’s there sometimes,” said state Rep. J.D. Bernardy, R-South Hampton. “You never know when it’s going to be there. It’s not there today.”
Lawmakers ultimately agreed to increase net metering for solar to a peak generating capacity of 250 kilowatts.
“They can build as much as they want up to 5 MW,” said state Rep. Douglas Thomas, R-Londonderry. “What we’re talking about here is the amount of money they get back from having solar.”
The deal still has to be approved in votes of the full House and Senate before heading to Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s desk.
“I would hope the governor could see this,” said state Sen. David Watters, D-Dover. “If she wants nuclear this year, she gives a minor amount on net metering, and we get to move forward, but it sounds as if that’s her choice.”
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