CONCORD, NH –The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) has announced that 12 more towns are launching Community Power with CPCNH this March bringing local control, electricity savings, and energy choices to approximately 30,000 new electric customers.
The number of towns joining CPCNH more than doubled in 2023, growing to 56 current Members from all corners of the state, representing more than 30% of New Hampshire’s population.
“CPCNH now operates Community Power programs in 28 municipalities and by the end of March we will be delivering savings and expanding local energy choices to an expected 120,000 customers,” said CEO Brian Callnan. “We are pleased with the growth of CPCNH and are committed to adding to the more than $9 million in customer savings over the last calendar year.”
Customers in the following communities will begin seeing Community Power savings this month:
- Durham
- Hudson
- New London
- Newmarket
- Pembroke
- Stratham
- Warner
- Webster
- Westmoreland
Three more towns, Chesterfield, Roxbury, and Winchester, are joining Cheshire County Community Power this month. The Gilsum select board recently voted to join Cheshire Community Power, and Hinsdale residents will consider the question at town meeting this month.
Merrimack County plans to bring adoption of Community Power up for a vote at its March 8 County Delegation meeting. If approved, Merrimack could bring the state’s second county program online later this year.
The following 36 CPCNH Member municipalities are either bringing Community Power up for votes at town meeting this month, or are otherwise positioned to launch programs later in 2024:
- Atkinson
- Barrington
- Berlin (City)
- Bethlehem
- Boscawen
- Bradford
- Bristol
- Campton
- Charlestown
- Dalton
- Epping
- Franconia
- Gilford
- Grantham
- Hampton Falls
- Hopkinton
- Kensington
- Lancaster
- Loudon
- Lyme
- Newport
- Northfield
- Randolph
- Springfield
- Somersworth (City)
- Sugar Hill
- Tamworth
- Temple
- Wilmot
Municipalities that have been providing Community Power benefits to their residents and businesses with CPCNH since 2023 include:
- Canterbury
- Dover
- Enfield
- Exeter
- Hanover
- Harrisville
- Lebanon (City)
- Nashua (City)
- Peterborough
- Plainfield
- Portsmouth (City)
- Rye
- Walpole
- Cheshire County (with service in Dublin, Fitzwilliam, and Nelson)
Community Power, authorized under NH RSA 53-E, empowers towns, cities, and counties to choose where their electricity comes from.
Community Power enables municipalities and counties to become the default electricity provider for their communities. Under Community Power, electric distribution utilities continue to own, operate and maintain the power lines and infrastructure while local communities gain control over the cost of their energy and where it is sourced from. Many more New Hampshire towns and cities have begun the process to launch their own programs in the coming months and years. More than 50 communities have already joined the Community Power Coalition and are currently in the process of launching their own Community Power programs.
CPCNH currently offers electricity rates that are lower than any of the four distribution utilities in New Hampshire. Please refer to communitypowernh.gov for rate comparison tables.