Monadnock Ledger-Transcript Published: 2/10/2021 7:20:06 PM Local advocates of community power and renewable energy are decrying HB 315, a bill that would gut the Community Power Law, which granted municipalities the ability to purchase electricity on behalf of their residents when it went into effect in late 2019. Besides the appeal of lowering energy bills, the Community Power Law is central to many town’s initiatives to expand their renewable energy portfolio, Peterborough resident and Monadnock Sustainability Hub program manager Annie Henry said. HB 315 goes before the New Hampshire House Science, Technology & Energy Committee on Friday. HB 315, nicknamed the “Monopoly Protection Act” by community power advocates, scales back much of the innovation afforded by the 2019 law, jacks up the cost, and adds multiple layers of obstacles to implement a community power agreement – which is already such a complicated process that none have yet been completed throughout the state, Henry said. “This would… throw a wrench into multiple communities and their plans to source their energy differently,” she said.