The Portsmouth Town Council approved a five-year renewal of the town's community electricity aggregation with NextEra Energy after a request-for-proposals process and consultant review.

Richard Talipsky, director of business development, said NextEra was selected through an RFP run by consultant Good Energy. Philip Carr, Good Energy's New England regional director, said the buying group includes several nearby communities and that NextEra has offered consistently low rates across the program.

Councilors discussed whether to change the program's default product from the current Portsmouth standard (which includes a 5% renewable component) to the lower-cost basic supply product. Carr cautioned that changing the default would add administrative complexity across the multi-town buying group but said Good Energy could improve messaging to residents about the choices available.

Councilor Gleason initially moved to switch the default to the basic (cheapest) rate, then withdrew that motion. The council later approved a motion to renew with the Portsmouth standard rate; the final vote to adopt the renewal and keep the Portsmouth standard rate was 7-0.

Philip Carr said the difference between the standard product (with 5% renewable) and the basic product is “a very small difference” in per-kilowatt-hour cost, and that residents can opt into other products (including higher-percent renewable options) at any time with no termination fees. The consultant and staff said they would prepare outreach materials to explain options because customers are automatically enrolled in the renewal unless they opt out.