The New Hampshire House Science, Technology and Energy Committee convened on February 10, 2025, to discuss House Bill 681, which proposes significant changes to the governance of the statewide multi-use data platform. The Department of Energy expressed neutrality regarding the bill but raised substantial concerns about its implications for regulatory oversight and transparency.

The bill seeks to transfer approval authority from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to a governance council, which is a non-public entity. This shift would allow the council to approve its own expenditures without the scrutiny of the PUC, effectively removing the regulatory checks that currently ensure costs are reasonable and in the public interest. The Department of Energy highlighted that this change could lead to a lack of accountability, as decisions made by the governance council would not be subject to public review or comment until after they are filed with the PUC.

The Department's representative emphasized that empowering the governance council to deem expenditures as prudent could result in unchecked financial decisions that may burden ratepayers with unnecessary costs. The representative noted that the governance council's decisions are currently confidential until reviewed by the PUC, raising concerns about transparency and public involvement in the decision-making process.

Additionally, the Department of Energy reported that two applications for federal funding related to this initiative had been rejected, indicating challenges in securing financial support for the project. The committee members engaged in discussions about the fiscal implications of the bill, with estimates suggesting an upfront cost of between $4.6 million and $7 million, along with ongoing operational costs.

In conclusion, while the Department of Energy remains neutral on House Bill 681, it cautioned that passing the bill could undermine regulatory oversight and transparency, potentially leading to increased costs for consumers. The committee is tasked with weighing these concerns as it considers the future of the data platform governance structure.