What community power is:

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Watch this video: from Peterborough

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- Where a municipality purchases power for residences and small businesses. 

- It affects only the supply portion of your electricity bill, so that all transmission, distribution, emergency services and billing services stay with the utility. (source Emily Manns from Standard Power)

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- In New Hampshire these RSAs apply:

NH RSA 53-A and RSA 53-E

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- It is aimed at pooling customers' collective buying power to negotiate the best available electricity rates while giving individuals more options. 

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- In some areas of the world this concept is referred to as Energy Aggregation. 

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It is so new in New Hampshire that the PUC is currently (as of January 2022) drafting rules to govern Community Power.

The rules will have to be approved by state legislative committee.

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There are generally two main reasons towns resort to Community Power: first to reduce rates and second to use more renewable energy options.

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Typically a town would have a plan that has multiple options to choose from including an option to "opt out" of Community Power.

 

Even though it may not save a lot of money, Community Power gives a community more control over sourcing and can give consumers the opportunity to choose renewable energy. 

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While renewal energy sources maybe a bit more expensive at first, it is NOT because it is not available it is because the demand is so high!

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There are a few brokers or services to assist communities with Community Power:

Standard Power, Freedom Energy Logistics and Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH).

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Status of area towns as of March 2023 as per the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript and town websites:

- Bennington has just formed a committee.

- Dublin  has a warrant article to determine if the town will join Cheshire County and pool resources.

- Cheshire County - is the only county who is a member of the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH).

CPCNH  will offer an opt-in option for  residents, businesses and municipalities in Cheshire County once they complete their plan. 

Hancock - has a warrant article asking residents to adopt the Hancock community power plan.  If the  Community Power Committee's plan is adopted, it would automatically enroll all Eversource customers in the plan.

Jaffrey - have drafted a community power plan which is available for review.

Nashua - As part of the initial CPCNH group will start in May of 2023 receiving 15.5 cents a KWhr rate.

Peterborough -- voters approved a community power plan in 2022.  The goal is to roll the plan out in April. Peterborough is partnered with CPCHN.  The exact rates and start date is curranty being worked out.

Wilton - Approved a plan in 2022 and partnered with Swanzey, Keene and Marlborough to pool their purchasing resources. Bids were taken for power suppliers on March 7th.

Harrisville - Voters approved community power in 2022. They partnered with CPCNH and expect to begin with the plan on or about April 21, 2023.

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CPCNH - Announced on March 15th that the initial members - Enfield, Exeter, Hanover, Harrisville, Lebanon, Nashua, Peterborough, Plainfield, Rye and Walpole we receive a 15.8 cent per kilowatt hour rate. That is about 23% lower than Eversource.