New Hampshire’s push toward nuclear energy expansion produced a mixed but forward-moving result this legislative session, with two bills cleared for Governor Kelly Ayotte’s signature following months of negotiations, vetoes, and competing proposals that reshaped the state’s energy policy debate.
Why It Matters
Nuclear energy has moved to the center of New Hampshire’s energy policy conversation in 2026, driven in part by rising energy costs nationally and Ayotte’s stated goal of advancing nuclear power in the state. The fate of multiple bills this session reflects how contentious — and consequential — those choices have become for ratepayers, utilities, and lawmakers alike.
The two measures now awaiting Ayotte’s action — House Bill 1738 and House Bill 1775 — represent what survived a process that also produced one gubernatorial veto and the collapse of a third nuclear-related measure before it could reach the governor.
What Happened
Three nuclear-related bills advanced through both chambers this spring. The first to arrive on Ayotte’s desk, HB 221, was vetoed by the governor in late May. That bill had sought to authorize power purchase agreements with advanced nuclear reactor operators and expand net metering capacity from 100 kilowatts to 250 kilowatts.
A second measure, Senate Bill 447, which targeted small modular reactors — an emerging technology not yet commercially approved in the United States — passed the Senate but died in the House in April. That bill would have permitted utilities to own advanced reactors up to one-quarter of Seabrook Station’s total capacity. The International Energy Agency has projected the first SMRs could come online in the 2030s.
That left HB 1738 and HB 1775. HB 1738, introduced by Rep. Michael Harrington, a Strafford County Republican, combines nuclear energy provisions with updates to New Hampshire’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Lawmakers worked with the governor’s office through a committee of conference process to shape the bill into an acceptable form. Net metering expansions — which had drawn Ayotte’s objection in HB 221 — were stripped from HB 1738 during those negotiations. Municipal net metering eligibility language was moved separately into Senate Bill 538.
Rep. Michael Vose confirmed the governor’s office had indicated it would accept the revised package. “We have received information from the governor’s office that that is an acceptable compromise,” Vose said.
HB 1775, which focuses on expanding both gas and nuclear generation capacity, advanced despite divisions within the House Committee on Science, Technology, and Energy.
By the Numbers
- 3 nuclear-related bills advanced through both legislative chambers this session
- 2 bills failed — one vetoed, one killed in the House
- $100 million — potential revenue loss cited by Rep. Harrington if New Hampshire exits RGGI
- $65 million — approximate recent annual RGGI funding, according to Rep. Kat McGhee, who described the sum as “significant money”
- 250 kilowatts — the expanded net metering threshold proposed in the now-vetoed HB 221, up from the current 100-kilowatt cap
Zoom Out
New Hampshire’s nuclear push reflects a broader national trend of renewed interest in atomic energy as states seek to balance electricity reliability, carbon reduction goals, and grid stability. Small modular reactors have attracted significant federal and private investment, though none have yet received full regulatory approval for commercial operation in the United States. Several other states are pursuing legislation to either facilitate nuclear development or revisit longstanding moratoriums on new plant construction.
Ayotte has previously navigated other contentious legislative battles this session. The governor sidestepped potential veto confrontations on gun and school choice legislation when the Senate declined to advance those measures. Her veto of HB 221 marked a more direct intervention in the nuclear debate, ultimately redirecting the session’s energy agenda toward the two bills now on her desk.
What’s Next
Ayotte is expected to act on both HB 1738 and HB 1775 in the coming weeks. If signed, the RGGI updates and nuclear provisions in HB 1738 will move toward implementation, while the broader generation expansion goals in HB 1775 will take effect. The separate net metering provisions separated from HB 1738 will continue through Senate Bill 538 on their own legislative track.