The holidays bring gratitude into focus for me. As the year nears its end, we have time to take stock as we gather with those we love and count our blessings. In Hollis, many of us are sheltered from the economic hardships that effect our fellow-granite staters this holiday season.
As quoted in a recent article by Garry Rayno of InDepth NH, a study by the NH Fiscal Policy Institute found that disposable income for a typical family of four has dropped by $17,349 in the past decade. This failure of wages to keep pace with the cost of living has resulted in a financial squeeze on families, adult-children, retirees, and workers trying to live in or move to New Hampshire.
When the fundamentals of the economy are working against social mobility, state government sees a corresponding slowing of revenue. The NH Dept of Revenue Administration has reported lower-than-expected revenues as the opportunity in the state economy has suffered a lack of investment and the rising cost of living. The article sites the primary sectors where costs are rising faster than wages as housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, and energy.
Since my work in Concord focuses on science, technology and energy policy, I’d like to give you an idea of some bills I’m working on to help lower energy costs and protect us from future costs.
I am the prime sponsor of a bill for consumer protection from large-use electric facilities. The legislature has made clear they want New Hampshire to be host to data centers for crypto and AI. There is a lot of information available on the downsides of large-energy-use data centers in other states, but my bill does not attempt to address all the potential issues that come along with these businesses; my bill is tailored to create a legal framework that shelters ratepayers from being on the hook for any of the costs of these large-energy-use data centers. It instructs the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create tariffs for this new class of data user, to prevent cost-shifting to residential bills.
I co-sponsored the Lower Energy Prices Act that came from Senate Minority Leader, Rebecca Perkins-Kwoka. This bill prohibits the PUC from adopting any new utility rates that exceed the previous year’s rate after being adjusted for inflation. This in effect prevents the PUC from using unwarranted add-ons for the profit of shareholders, at the expense of ratepayers, as we saw in the recent Eversource rate case. The bill requires the PUC to develop ‘Performance-based ratemaking’ rules that tie rate increases to achievement of defined goals. These common-sense measures will help curb the upwards trend in electric rates.
I became aware of a bipartisan bill in Utah (HB340) that was designed to help renters offset electric costs by adding ‘plug-in solar’. Senator David Watters had already put in his version of the ‘balcony solar’ bill, so I agreed to co-sponsor his bill. These solar units are plug-n-play into a standard socket. They provide from 200 watts to 1200 watts of power, and if they gain popularity as they have in Europe, they can shave demand, which helps lower electric rates.
Finally, an update on a software project I was heavily involved with from 2019 through 2023: the NH Data Hub. The project called for the major utilities to provide regular customer data feeds of all their energy data — gas and electric — into a database to support insights, efficiencies, planning, grid modernization, competitive suppler innovation, and municipal access. All of these are identified needs that are hard to obtain today, and each can bring SAVINGS.
HB723 was submitted this year to repeal the bill that initiated the Data Hub. I testified against passing HB723 in front of the Senate Energy and Resources committee in April of this year. The timing was odd as the project was proceeding at the Public Utilities Commission and already had a process for review of cost vs. benefit. The Request for Proposals to build the tool had been approved and the cost benefit analysis was due back this November.
Senator Avard also commented in that public hearing that we should not pull the rug out from under this project before we received the cost benefit analysis. On October 23rd, having not yet received the cost benefit analysis, and after taking a break off camera, the Energy and Natural Resources committee, of which Senator Avard is the chair, held a vote without any discussion and passed HB723 that killed six years’ worth of state effort.
All the advantages to the energy economy that were outlined in the requirements were squashed by the legislature without any analysis. I know of no other ideas on the horizon to create energy savings for ratepayers at scale. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to energy policy. This was a sad moment.
Let me close by saying that the winter of 2025-2026 is predicted to be a frigid one with an expected polar vortex bringing arctic cold to our state. People have been asking where to drop clothing, supplies, food, and gift cards.
The Hollis Democratic Town Chair, Judy Carr, has been collecting some valuable information on the Resources tab of the HD website; just scroll past the political resources section, to the Other Resources for food pantry and other helpful links. Or use the Community Support link for a comprehensive list of local aid organizations, and make your plan to help others this season.
Some colleagues and I are running a hat, scarf, and glove drive on Veto Override Day, (December 17th) at the NH State House in Concord. If you can donate good condition hats, gloves, mittens, or scarfs, please email me at kat.mcghee@gc.nh.gov. Thanks in advance!
I truly believe we can each make a difference for our neighbors this winter.
Happy Thanksgiving!
— — Hollis Brookline News Online
By Kat McGhee, State Representative District 35, M.Ed., PMP retired
November 21st, 2025