Concord, NH – NHGOP Chairman Stephen Stepanek released the following statement regarding Governor Sununu’s veto of House Bill 365 (emphasis mine, and above image chosen especially for our NH climate either – every moment that snow is on them make those panels more and more useless):
“The NHGOP supports Governor Chris Sununu’s veto of HB365 as he stands firm with New Hampshire ratepayers who would be responsible for a significant subsidy to big energy corporations. While New Hampshire proudly ranks high in many categories across the nation, we unfortunately have the third highest energy cost in the country. We don’t want to be number one, yet New Hampshire’s energy rates would continue to increase to that point if this bill becomes law. Thank you Governor Sununu for continuing to fight for lower electric rates.”
Fine – I have no problem in people putting in their own home solar arrays but when the rate that is paid to them by the utility is the same rate I pay (thus effectively raising my cost because the utility’s cost is now higher, the answer is no). Ditto for the investor / entrepreneurial class as well. But as this points out, many of these projects are now govt entity based:
More than a dozen New Hampshire businesses and nearly 40 New Hampshire communities are seriously considering developing or expanding their own power generation upon passage of HB 365/SB 159. These commitments represent tens of millions of dollars in new investment, local jobs and new local tax revenue. Furthermore, more than 100 private organizations, school districts, municipalities and government agencies already participate in group net metering supplied by small hydro, and another 22 schools and municipal and government entities want to participate but can’t due to the current 1 MW generation cap.
Finally, HB 365/SB 159 will save money for taxpayers as well as all ratepayers. For example, many municipalities want to convert their abandoned landfills into solar power sites, turning a liability into an asset. Not only will the taxpayers enjoy lower electric costs, but private renewable power projects will also provide additional tax revenues and lease payments for municipalities.
Every time I turn around, it seems, yet another government body (town, school, NGO based on tax revenues or “grants”) is wanting to do this). Why should government be in this market when then may price the cost of electricity to them at a lower price but selling “excess” raises ours? THEY are looking for a ‘profit’ but their “effective customers” are beholden to a different company that is required to buy that excess. They certainly aren’t going to sell it at a loss so up it goes. Yes, the price is fixed but like anyone else, the reason these “22 schools and municipal and government entities” want to participate is that there’s something in it for them. If there wasn’t, why bother?
That’s why words matter, and the words buried in the Act matter – it opens up the economics such there there is a “there” there now for them. Add in the RGGI money that the Democrat dominated Legislature wants to move from we regular consumers to businesses and …..wait for it…..government entities, you can see who is getting their skids greased for this latest version of Crony Capitalism.
And you all were convinced that only Republicans did “Crony Capitalism”. As Gomer Pyle used to say “SurPRISE, SurPRISE, SURprise!”
