I. Competitive energy suppliers are not public utilities pursuant to RSA 362:2, though a competitive energy supplier may seek public utility status from the department if it so chooses. Notwithstanding a competitive energy supplier’s non-utility status, the department is authorized to establish requirements, excluding price regulation, for competitive electricity suppliers, including registration, registration fees, customer information, disclosure, standards of conduct, and consumer protection and assistance requirements. Unless electing to do so, an electricity supplier that offers or sells at retail to consumers within this state products and services that can lawfully be made available to such consumers by more than one supplier shall not, because of such offers or sales, be deemed to be a public utility as defined by RSA 362:2. These requirements shall be applied in a manner consistent with the restructuring principles of this chapter to promote competition among electricity suppliers.
II. Aggregators of electricity load that do not take ownership of power or other services and do not represent any supplier interest are not public utilities pursuant to RSA 362:2, but shall notify the department of their intent to do business. Municipalities that aggregate electric power or energy services for their citizens pursuant to RSA 53-E are not public utilities pursuant to RSA 362:2 and are not subject to the provisions of paragraph III and RSA 374-F:4-b.
III. The department may investigate and petition the commission to assess fines against, revoke the registration of, order the rescission of contracts with residential customers of, order restitution to the residential customers of, and prohibit from doing business in the state any competitive electricity supplier, including any aggregator or broker, which is found to have:
(a) Engaged in any unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the marketing, sale, or solicitation of electricity supply or related services;
(b) Violated the requirements of this section or any other provision of this title applicable to competitive electricity suppliers; or
(c) Violated any rule adopted by the department pursuant to paragraph V and RSA 374-F:4-b.
IV. As a condition of operation, for a 2-year interim period from the date that competition is implemented in one or more areas of the state, competitive energy suppliers and load aggregators shall submit to the jurisdiction of the commission for mediation and resolution of disputes between customers and competitive energy suppliers or aggregators. Municipalities that aggregate electric power or energy service for their citizens pursuant to RSA 53-E are not subject to this paragraph.
V. The department shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, to implement this section. Where the department has adopted rules in conformity with this section, complaints to and proceedings before the commission shall not be subject to RSA 541-A:29 or RSA 541-A:29-a.
Source. 1997, 298:19. 2007, 26:5, eff. July 10, 2007. 2010, 336:2, eff. Oct. 18, 2010. 2015, 268:2, eff. July 20, 2015. 2018, 279:20, eff. Jan. 1, 2019. 2019, 316:18, eff. Oct. 1, 2019. 2021, 91:284, eff. July 1, 2021.