Fifty-five percent of New Hampshire’s electricity is produced by natural gas, much of it delivered by ship. As the price of natural gas fluctuates, so does the rate we pay for electricity.

NH electric utilities buy electricity from producers that rely mostly on natural gas. So, depending on the price at the time, the rate charged is based on the contracts they sign.

The way to minimize this price fluctuation is having the ability to purchase electricity made from a variety of fuels and contract lengths to create a portfolio of contracts. Recent legislation allows communities to combine their electric power use to purchase from producers offering contracts with the best prices.

The Community Power Coalition of NH, CPCNH, plans to do this. Currently, 23 cities and towns are members of the CPCNH, representing 20% of NH electric power use. The utilities will continue to deliver the electricity, while providing billing and customer service. If all goes as planned Community Power will launch spring of 2023.

Community Power will stabilize the rates we pay for electricity, allowing members to choose local producers using technologies like solar, wind, and hydro, instead of commodities like natural gas. This reduces emissions, while producing more local business investment and jobs.

This launch of Community Power was a long time coming due to many efforts to derail the legislation and reduce its effectiveness. As you consider candidates for the November election, ask whether they support the business investment and jobs that transitioning to clean, lower cost and local energy will provide.