Senate Subcommittee Hears Conflicting Views on H.3309 Energy Bill

At a Senate subcommittee hearing, witnesses representing conservation groups, developers and consumer advocates outlined sharply different views of House Bill H.3309, an omnibus energy proposal that would change how the state plans and pays for electric generation, transmission and large-customer contracts.

The dispute centers on how the state should balance rapid load growth from new data centers and other large customers with ratepayer protections, and whether the bill in its current form tilts too far toward utility and developer interests at the expense of consumers and local control. Proponents urged clearer procurement rules and faster deployment of clean resources; critics warned of shifting costs onto residential customers and weakening regulatory safeguards.

Taylor Allred, policy director for the Coastal…