Newbury Community Power
WHAT IS COMMUNITY POWER?
Community Power is a New Hampshire program that allows municipalities to procure electricity on behalf of its residents and small businesses with the objectives of 1) reducing energy costs and 2) increasing options for renewable energy usage.
Newbury Community Power gives residents and small businesses the option to choose whether their electricity is supplied by their current provider (i.e., Eversource) or through an alternative and often more competitively priced provider. Energy delivery (i.e., wires and poles) will continue to be provided and supported by Eversource.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY ELECTRIC BILL AND SERVICE?
This program only affects the supply cost line on your electricity bill. It does not affect the delivery line.
WILL NEWBURY BECOME A UTILITY?
No. Eversource will continue to own and manage the distribution poles and wires, emergency services, and billing. Eversource will continue to respond to outages and provide customer services.
DOES THE PROGRAM AFFECT SERVICE FROM EVERSOURCE, OR THEIR PROFIT?
No. Eversource profits from providing transmission and distribution services (delivery). They do not make money on the electricity itself (supply). This is a ‘pass-through’ cost.
DOES THE PROGRAM AFFECT MY ELECTRICITY DISCOUNTS OR NET METERING PROGRAM BENEFITS?
No. This program will not affect electricity discounts.
No. Newbury’s chosen community power supplier - Merrimack County Community Power - is currently working on solutions for net metering customers and therefore these customers will NOT be automatically enrolled in Community Power.
DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE?
No. The program will provide a new default service for eligible customers, but any customer can opt out, change products, join, or leave the program at any time with no program penalty or fees.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON THE NEWBURY TOWN BUDGET?
Community Power will have no impact on the Newbury town budget.
HOW WILL COMMUNITY POWER GET BETTER ELECTRICITY RATES THAN THE UTILITY DEFAULT?
Newbury’s chosen community power supplier - Merrimack County Community Power - is a non-profit that pools the buying power of residents and businesses across the state to achieve competitively priced electricity and offer renewable energy choices.
DOES COMMUNITY POWER OFFER LOWEST COST ENERGY CHOICES?
Yes, the Merrimack County Community Power ‘Granite Basic’ default rate offers the best price possible. The ‘Granite Basic’ default rate has no additional renewable energy above the New Hampshire required minimum.
DOES COMMUNITY POWER OFFER RENEWABLE ENERGY CHOICES?
Yes. Merrimack County Community Power offers four choices, three of which include renewable energy above the required state minimum.
Granite Basic (default) - renewable content 24.3% (same as Eversource)
Granit Plus - renewable content 33%
Clean 50 - renewable content 50%
Clean 100 - renewable content 100%
ARE OTHER NH TOWNS AND CITIES IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY POWER?
Community Power Programs across New Hampshire have demonstrated good results over years/months of operation. Many towns in our area have already launched Community Power programs with CPCNH including New London, Warner, and Bradford. Others, like Newbury, are launching soon.
COMMUNITY POWER IN NEWBURY
In November 2024, the Selectboard voted to join the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) Merrimack County, also known as Merrimack County Community Power, a non-profit program that pools the buying power of residents and businesses to achieve competitively priced electricity and offer renewable energy choices. Launch was scheduled for March 2025.
At their January 2025 meeting, the Selectboard voted to pause this launch due to unanticipated changing market conditions. Newbury residents voted for Community Power primarily on the basis of cost savings and the Selectboard felt that launching during a period of market uncertainty was unwise. The Selectboard will continue to monitor this situation.
In the meantime, residents and small businesses still have the option to “opt in” to Merrimack County Community Power on an individual basis. “Opting in” give residents and small businesses access to Merrimack County Community Power electricity rates and renewable energy options.
Simply click this link and follow the enrollment instructions on the Merrimack County Community Power website. In the “Get Started” box select Eversource and Merrimack, County of.
For more information, please visit the CPCNH Frequently Asked Questions page via this link. Other questions can be sent via email to info@CommunityPowerNH.gov.
