The Walpolean

Walpole Community Power Spring Rate update starting 2/1/2025

Twice a year, the Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH) sets their electricity rates for the coming six months. The rates are affected by a variety of factors, most notably the wholesale electric market. 

At their meeting on 1/2/2025, the CPCNH Board of Directors voted on the Spring rates. The rate for Granite Basic, the base tier, will be .089 cents per kWh. This rate represents a .003 cent increase over the Fall rate period, and it’s the first time that the CPCNH rate will not be equal to or lower than the Liberty default rate, which will be .084 cents for the same period. See the table below for the full set of CPCNH’s Spring rates.

There are two reasons that CPCNH’s rate will be higher than Liberty’s. The first is that because CPCNH is continuing to grow and add towns, it is still incurring start-up costs that were not adequately covered by the Fall rate. The new rate will help to backstop those additional costs. As more towns are added to CPCNH’s roster, the organization’s buying power will continue to increase. 

The second reason is that the NH PUC has directed the Utilities to change the way that they’re buying power, and this change may result in the Utilities operating at a loss. Historically the Utilities have purchased all of the power needed for a given period up front. The PUC is now requiring them to purchase 50% of the power up front, and 50% on the “day ahead” market. The CPCNH board believes that this change may result in Liberty losing money with their proposed rate. If that happens, then Liberty may try to make up for any losses by adding costs to the Distribution rates that are shared by all customers, including members of CPCNH.

CPCNH feels that if Liberty were to pass along losses to all customers through the Distribution rates, this would be unfair and unreasonable. A better approach would be for Liberty to make up for any losses by charging customers through the Default Service rate, which would not apply to CPCNH members. 

CPCNH is working to convince the NH PUC that the most appropriate way to recover losses based on the Default Service rate is through future electricity rates, rather than through the Distribution rate. This approach is supported by the NH Consumer Advocates office. Legislation is being proposed to address this concern – stay tuned for more information. 

The introduction of CPCNH has helped to bring about much-needed competition in the state’s power supply market. The savings for Walpole have already been significant: in the almost two years of being part of CPCNH, residents of Walpole have saved $482,000 as compared with having stayed with Liberty as the default supplier.

CPCNH Spring Rates:

Each is .003 higher than the Fall rates.