New Rate Period Reflects Higher Market Prices For Energy

The new rate period for NH Public Utilities will begin on February 1, 2026 and runs to July 31, 2026, changing the rates for electricity supplied by Eversource and Durham Community Power through CPCNH.  Due to increased market prices and the renewal of reserves depleted during a record cold winter, the CPCNH price is above what Eversource has set. 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.