The City of Concord is pleased to announce the launch of Concord Community Power! The pursuance of a community power program and membership with the Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH) was unanimously approved by City Council on March 11, 2024, as a way to provide Concord residents with an opportunity for affordable, competitive electricity rates, and a way to help achieve Concord’s 100% Renewable Energy Commitment, and the State of New Hampshire’s 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Additionally, Concord Community Power is brought to you as a part of City Council’s efforts to help residents save money - this program gives Concord the opportunity to proactively help its residents, small businesses, and community members save money on their electricity bills.
In 2018, Concord signed on to the Climate Mayor’s agreement, indicating their commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, setting goals to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to prevent global temperatures from continuing to rise, furthering the impacts of climate change. To help do their part to reduce emissions, Concord has set community-wide goals to help reduce their community-wide emissions. It is the goal of the city that by 2030, 100% of the electricity consumed in the city will be from renewable sources; by 2050 100% of the thermal energy consumed in the city will come from renewable sources; and by 2050, 100% of the transportation used in the city will be clean transportation. These goals are aspirational in nature and are not mandatory, but setting these goals helps the community know where to align their actions and values. That is where Community Power comes into play.
Community Power is authorized by RSA 53:E, which allows towns, cities, and counties to combine the purchasing power of their residents together to provide residents with affordable and competitive electricity rates. Under RSA 53:E, Concord assumes the role of the default electricity service supplier, instead of Unitil or Eversource. This allows Concord Community Power, via CPCNH, to procure energy for the community that represents what the residents need and want; more affordable, cleaner, local energy.
In late August, Concord residents will begin receiving notices via the mail from the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire explaining the program launch in greater detail, and the options that residents can take.
The program launches this October, so there will be time for residents to learn more about Concord Community Power and make their informed decisions.
The City and CPCNH will be hosting two public information sessions, and residents are strongly urged to attend, and even bring their utility bills, to have all their questions answered by CPCNH representatives:
September 4 at 6 p.m. at the Concord Community Center Auditorium, 14 Canterbury Road, Concord, NH 03301
September 17 at 6 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 37 Green St, Concord, NH 03301
Here are the current electricity rates for Concord Community Power, effective August 1, 2024 - January 31, 2025:
Concord’s default energy supply offering is the Granite Plus option, at 9.3 ¢/kWh, and 33% renewable energy content. If residents take no action by 9/25, they will be automatically enrolled in this power option.
For any changes prior to the October launch, residents will have until 9/25 to make any changes they want, whether that be opting out of the program entirely or changing their power option to Granite Basic, Clean 50, or Clean 100. There are no costs or penalties to changing your power level or opting out or into the program, and you can change your power level or leave/join the program at any time. I video is included below with more information.
These electricity rates are effective starting with your October meter read date, and you will see the change on the supplier side of your bill the following month.
For example, if your meter read date is on October 1, these rates are effective for you starting on October 1, and you will see the change in your November dated bill. If your meter read date is on October 12, these rates are effective for you starting on October 12, and you will see the change in the bill you receive in November. You can find your meter read date on your electricity bill, or by calling your Utility.
There are a few exceptions to being automatically enrolled in Concord Community Power: Net metering, group net metering, and time-of-day net metering customers will not be automatically enrolled in Concord Community Power, and neither will customers already buying electricity from third-party suppliers. See the CPCNH list of complete exceptions to automatic enrollment for more information.
For more information, please feel free to visit the City’s Community Power website, which has more information, including a list of FAQs, as well as recordings to past informational presentations that have been held, the Concord Community Power website, email info@CommunityPowerNH.gov, or call 1-866-603-POWR.
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