NH Public Utilities Commission: A Huge Disappointment
The PUC’s recent decisions on Energy Efficiency programs and Liberty Utilities’ plan to expand fracked methane gas are a huge disappointment for the residents of NH.
New Hampshire -- Over the last week, the NH Public Utilities Commission has denied an important three-year energy efficiency program and approved a Firm Transportation Agreement with Tennessee Gas Pipeline, LLC and Liberty Utilities. Both of these moves are devastating for NH residents and prevent us from making essential moves towards renewable energy generation in NH.
“The decisions coming from the PUC this week are devastating for our state,” says Rebecca Beaulieu, Communications Director for 350 New Hampshire. “Cutting energy efficiency programs and allowing for fracked methane gas expansion is not going to move us towards the 100% renewable energy future we need to mitigate the worst of the climate crisis.”
New Hampshire lacks a solid plan to address the climate crisis and lags behind all other New England states in renewable energy production and energy efficiency. Rejecting this energy efficiency program will prevent progress we need to reduce our overall energy usage and cut energy costs - particularly for low-income Granite Staters.
The approved Firm Transportation Agreement with Tennessee Gas Pipeline, LLC and Liberty Utilities is a 20-year contract to transport more fracked methane gas into New Hampshire and comes after 350 New Hampshire stopped Liberty from pursuing the Granite Bridge pipeline project in 2019.
“Granite Staters showed the PUC that we do not want more fracked methane gas in the state when we stopped the Granite Bridge pipeline,” says Jennifer Dube, Climate Organizer with 350 New Hampshire. “It is abysmal that the PUC is allowing Liberty Utilities to find another way to expand this dirty fossil fuel in our state.”
It is clear that the PUC does not consider the impacts of their decisions on our climate. They are perpetuating our reliance on fossil fuels instead of moving us towards a cleaner, renewable energy future.