This Week in Energy

Generation

LEGISLATIVE

HB 1775, introduced on January 7 in New Hampshire, authorizes electric utilities to invest in and own natural gas or nuclear generation units up to 5 MW. The measure limits total capacity for these resources to 10% of a utility's peak load and adds hydrogen and battery storage to the state's public interest priorities. The bill was amended and passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 7.

Iowa’s HF 2757, introduced on March 24, creates a nuclear energy workforce fund and provides sales tax exemptions for the construction or restart of nuclear generation facilities. The bill requires facilities to make annual contributions to the workforce fund and enter into state economic development agreements. The measure passed the legislature on April 30 and awaits Governor Reynolds’s signature.

Pennsylvania’s HB 2264, introduced on March 5, directs the Public Utility Commission to establish a Virtual Power Plant program. The measure allows utilities and third-party aggregators to coordinate distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar and electric vehicles, to support grid reliability during peak demand. A hearing was held in the House Energy Committee for May 4.

Vermont’s HB 710, introduced on January 16, redefines an electricity-generating plant to include multiple facilities on the same land that use the same technology, regardless of construction date. The measure passed the House in February. The bill was committed to the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy from the Committee on Finance on April 30. A series of hearings were held on May 1, 6, and 7. 

Affordability

LEGISLATIVE

In New York, AB 11021, introduced on April 22, requires the Public Service Commission to prioritize ratepayer affordability and cumulative impacts when reviewing major utility rate changes. The bill mandates public notice of actions taken to minimize energy burdens for low- and middle-income customers. A hearing was held in the Assembly Committee on Energy on April 28. 

Large Load and Data Centers

LEGISLATIVE

In North Carolina, SB 844, introduced on April 27, requires large load facilities to obtain a certificate of operation and mandates that utilities file specific tariffs for these customers. It also directs the Commission to study the environmental impacts of new large-load proposals. The bill also prohibits residential service disconnections during extreme weather and requires utilities to submit grid modernization plans. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations/Base Budget on April 28.

Oklahoma’s HB 2992, introduced on February 2, protects residential and commercial ratepayers from costs associated with serving "large load customers" like data centers and crypto mines. The bill requires electric suppliers to establish separate service terms for facilities over 75 MW and mandates a 60-day notice for specific land purchases. Amendments were added on April 28 to include land notification penalties. On April 30, a conference committee was appointed after the House failed to concur with Senate amendments. 

Electricity and Market Issues

LEGISLATIVE

Alaska’s SB 150, introduced on March 28, 2025, requires specific electric entities to provide monthly net metering services for customer-generators with capacity installed before July 1, 2025. The bill prevents utilities from limiting customer participation and mandates the Regulatory Commission to adopt governing rules. A hearing was held in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on May 1.

SB 913, in California, was introduced on January 27 and requires the Public Utilities Commission to enhance pathways for aggregated distributed energy resources to qualify as resource adequacy capacity by 2027. The bill mandates the inclusion of these resources in procurement filings. A hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee was held on May 4.

Colorado’s HB 1007, introduced on January 14, establishes requirements for small-scale solar devices and mandates that utilities allow customer-owned meter collar adapters. The measure prohibits community associations from unreasonably restricting these devices and updates interconnection rules for small-scale devices. The bill passed the legislature on April 14 and awaits Governor Polis’s signature.

New Hampshire’s SB 591, introduced on January 7, limits utility-owned generation to 10% of their total distribution peak load. The measure eliminates previous capacity thresholds with exceptions for energy storage and demand response. The bill passed the legislature on April 23 and awaits Governor Ayotte’s signature. 

Permitting and Siting

LEGISLATIVE

Illinois’s SB 3922, introduced on February 6, reduces the nameplate capacity limit for community renewable generation projects from 10,000 to 5,000 kW. The bill standardizes county setback requirements and refines the virtual power plant program to include customer usage offsets and grid exports. Amendments were added to the bill on May 5. A hearing in the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee was held on May 7.

In Oklahoma, HB 3464 was introduced on February 2. The measure creates the Oklahoma Energy Storage Resource Safety Act and the Solar Energy Development Act to establish statewide permitting, safety protocols, and decommissioning requirements for grid-scale battery and solar facilities. Governor Stitt signed the bill into law on May 5. 

These bills demonstrate a nationwide shift toward integrating advanced energy resources and addressing the current era of demand growth. Collectively, such legislative activity reflects a focus on balancing robust economic expansion with grid resilience, long-term workforce sustainability, and expanded ratepayer protections. 

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