Portsmouth Community Power Announces Lower Electricity Rate from Community Power Coalition of NH, Effective August 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) Board of Directors has announced an 18 percent decrease in the Portsmouth Community Power base electric rate compared to the rate Eversource has requested from the Public Utilities Commission for the same period. A base rate of 8.6¢ per kilowatt-hour for residential and small commercial customers goes into effect from August 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 for Portsmouth and other CPCNH customers. Customers do not need to do anything to receive this new rate but do have the option to buy electricity from more renewable sources.

The default 8.6¢ per kilowatt-hour Granite Basic rate from CPCNH is for electricity generated with 24.3 percent renewable sources. Portsmouth customers also have the choice to “opt-up” to 33 percent or even 50 percent renewable power sources while still paying less than the Eversource default rate of 10.403¢. Options include 9.3¢ per kilowatt-hour for Granite Plus with 33 percent renewable and 10¢ per kilowatt-hour for Clean 50, with 50 percent renewable. Clean 100 with 100 percent renewable sources is just 12¢ per kilowatt-hour.

“Right now, 11,927 local residents and businesses in Portsmouth take advantage of Portsmouth Community Power,” said Councilor John Tabor, chair of the Portsmouth Energy Advisory Committee that oversees Portsmouth Community Power. “From the launch of Portsmouth Community Power in May 2023 through March 2024, the program delivered $3.1 million in benefits to Portsmouth ratepayers: $1.8 million in rate savings and $1.3 million in reserves that provide rate stability. Portsmouth Community Power is also enabling residents to make real strides in addressing the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan by opting up to reduce our carbon footprint. To opt up to Granite Plus, Clean 50 or Clean 100 options, go to portsnh.co/commpower.”

“CPCNH empowers communities to better control their energy future with enhanced local control, greater customer choice, and low competitive rates,” said Brian Callnan, CEO of CPCNH. “We are excited to continue to deliver on these goals and create significant cost savings for our communities, including for those customers looking for more renewable energy.”

Since launch, CPCNH has offered the state’s lowest residential and small commercial energy supply rates and collectively has created nearly $14 million in customer savings to utility default rates and $23 million in collective CPCNH member community reserves for rate stability. There are now 58 municipal or county CPCNH members serving 66 communities and representing more than 35 percent of the population of New Hampshire. For more information, visit: portsnh.co/commpower.