New CPCNH Rates Within 1¢ of Eversource Rate

CPCNH announced a new residential rate of 14.949 cents per KWh for the next rate period of Aug 2026 to Jan 2027, compared to the announced Eversource rate of 14.009. This brings CPCNH to within 6.7% of the Eversource rate.

The Eversource rate increased 23.9% over their previous rate, in part due to the need to recover from under collection during previous rate periods of $38M. They have up to 12 months to recover these funds, and the PUC has to approve their rates. For this period, “Eversource testified that a rate of ~15 cents per kWh would be more likely to recover actual costs, compared with the PUC-directed method and approved rate of ~14 cents per kWh.” This would lead us to expect increased pressure on Eversource’s rates in February 2027.

The CPCNH rate setting process carefully selects a final price based on the total cost of power, cost of service, operating expenses, and a reserve fund. The current rate includes a $0.67 reserve component that continues the trajectory for CPCNH to their target reserve level and zero financing balance by April 2027.

A summary of the previous rates and the new rates are shown in the table below:

* Minimum content compliant with RSA 362-F – Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). ​Total renewable content includes the NH RPS, set to increase to 25.2% in 2025, prior to NH Dept. of Energy reductions.

CPCNH expects to substantially replenish their reserve funds during this year, allowing reduced prices in future rate periods. 

Supply Costs vs. Delivery Costs

It is important to remember that your electric bill is made up of two parts: Supply, the cost of purchased electricity, and Delivery, the cost of transmission and distribution of that electricity, including the maintenance of the local and long distance networks. NH residents can choose their electricity supplier, but their Delivery utility is fixed by their location, and for most of Durham that is Eversource. During the past year, Eversource has received Delivery rate increases of 32% for the fixed Customer charge (From $15 to $19.81) and 18.7% for the Transmission Charge ($24 to $29 for a typical 650 kWh monthly usage). 

The Durham Town Council has selected Granite Basic as the default electricity supply rate for Durham Community Power customers for the rate period starting February 1^st. This means that customers who do not actively select another electricity supply option, either through Durham Community Power or through another provider, will receive Granite Basic as their electricity supply rate. 

How will this affect individual residents? 

1. If you were on Eversource default before Durham Community Power began in February 2024, and have taken no action to modify your power plan or power supplier, you will always be migrated to whatever is the Durham Community Power default plan for each rate period, which is now Granite Basic. 
2. If you were using a competitive power supplier and took no action, you would remain on their contract and would continue to do so until the contract expires or you make a change to CPCNH.
3. If you were on a Net Metering arrangement with a solar array (or another renewable generator), you would remain on that arrangement and not be migrated to CPCNH during this or future rate periods unless you make that choice. (See FAQs for Net Metering and Community Power.)
4. If you “opted-up” to either the Granite Plus, Clean 50, or Clean 100 plans, you will always remain on those plans unless you make a different choice on the CPCNH web site.
5. If you are not sure what energy plan you are currently enrolled in, here's how to check.

If you want at any time to change your power plan, you have 3 easy options -- just find your Eversource or NH Electric Coop account #, and either:  

1. Go to the Durham Community Power web page at www.communitypowernh.gov/community/durham, or
2. Send an email with your info to info@CommunityPowerNH.gov, or
3. Call the CPCNH Customer Center at 1-866-603-7697 (POWR)

When you select a different power plan like this, it will remain fixed as your plan going forward until you change it, it will not change even if Durham's default plan should change.  Changes are always free of charge, and will be active after the next meter reading.