New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s veto of a renewable energy net metering bill was just the latest entry in an ongoing debate with state lawmakers over the issue.
Senate Bill 159 was designed as an attempt to increase the amount of renewable energy cities and businesses can generate themselves. But Sununu said he was concerned the bill would cost low-income residents too much because of raised electric rates.
“I am committed to finding a true compromise,” Sununu said in a news release. “We have the opportunity to move forward with a smarter clean energy policy, done the New Hampshire way. I have worked with legislators to propose new legislation that expands access to net metering for cities, towns, and businesses and still lower their electricity bills.”
The New Hampshire Democratic Party, however, said in a news release that Sununu’s veto was tied to his campaign supporters.
“Chris Sununu is so subservient to carrying out the agenda of his campaign donors that he rejected this simple compromise bill,” New Hampshire Democratic Party spokesperson Michael Beyer said. “By blocking net metering, Sununu stands in the way of lower electric rates and property taxes. Sununu’s sole interest is helping his family and the corporate special interest donors who fund his campaign at the expense of New Hampshire.”
Beyer noted $95,000 the Sununu campaign received from Eversource, which opposes net metering. Sununu’s brother-in-law is also a consultant for the New England Ratepayers Association, an organization that also opposes the bill.
Sununu said he was open to compromise.
“Let’s work together and pass common ground net metering legislation to create smart clean energy opportunities for our state,” the governor said.
The veto was the third consecutive year that the governor rejected a net metering bill.