House approves bill allowing off‑grid electricity providers after tense roll call on oversight concerns

The New Hampshire House on June 5 concurred with Senate changes to House Bill 6 72, a measure authorizing so‑called off‑grid electricity providers. The vote followed a roll call and sustained floor debate over oversight, consumer protection and reliability.

Representative Wendy Thomas urged members to oppose concurrence, calling the measure a risk to reliability and public safety: "This opens the door to a dangerous and unnecessary two‑tiered system of electric regulation in New Hampshire," she said, warning that off‑grid providers would operate outside Public Utilities Commission oversight. Representative Walls, who supported concurrence, said the Senate’s minor amendment protected local utilities by disqualifying off‑grid status for distribution lines that cross a public highway and characterized the bill as a limited, market‑oriented change; he related an industry view saying the measure could be significant for the state’s energy sector.

Opponents raised concerns the bill would allow generation, transmission and private sales without established oversight processes, enforcement authority, or clear authorization for facility changes. Supporters argued for competitive options and noted the Senate amendment narrowed the measure’s scope. After a roll call, the clerk announced 185 in favor and 151 opposed and the motion to concur was recorded as adopted.

The House record shows the primary floor questions were about how to preserve consumer protections, system reliability and environmental safeguards while enabling new business models. The floor action was a concurrence with the Senate amendment; no additional guardrails or oversight provisions were added on the House floor.