Merrimack County discussion: Newbury pauses community power enrollment after co-op cuts rate

Merrimack County commissioners heard a briefing on the Town of Newbury's temporary pause in joining Merrimack Community Power after the New Hampshire Electric Co-op announced lower rates.

Ross, a county staff member, told the board that the co-op’s announcement prompted the pause and described two immediate responses: a mailer or letter to affected customers and a longer review of the program’s migration rules. "New Hampshire co op came out, less than community power," Ross said, and staff plan to send a card or letter to every customer affected explaining how to switch back if they wish.

The nut graf: the discussion matters because the co-op’s rate move has exposed a recurring technical and customer‑choice issue in Merrimack Community Power: customers who are migrated automatically can face confusing midcycle rate changes and may want an easier path to opt in or out.

Ross described one option under review: removing New Hampshire Electric Co‑op customers from automatic migration so those customers would remain with the co‑op by default and could opt in to community power later. "Maybe just take all the New Hampshire co op people out and just leave them out of that of the Community Power Agreement," he said. That approach, he said, would let customers choose to move to community power rather than be moved by the current migration process.

Commissioners asked procedural and timing questions. One commissioner asked whether community power updates its rates on a fixed schedule; Ross said rates change in roughly six‑month cycles and that the larger suppliers (Unitil and Eversource) follow a bidding and Public Utilities Commission (PUC) timeline that affects when suppliers set rates. He said the co‑op is not necessarily in that same pool, which can produce temporary rate gaps between suppliers.

Board members raised operational concerns about repeated switching between providers. One commissioner asked whether the pattern could "upset the whole business plan of community power," noting the program’s goal of offering lower rates than large suppliers. Ross said staff expect community power’s rate to remain lower than Unitil and Eversource on average, but acknowledged the current announcement had created anxiety among some municipal leaders.

Commissioners also noted nonrate differences: Ross said the co‑op recently began offering internet service in some rural areas and that customers there had cheaper, faster fiber service through the co‑op than through local cable providers.

Board members directed staff to continue working with Merrimack Community Power on customer communications and on technical fixes to the migration process so individuals can more easily opt in or out if future co‑op or supplier rates change.

Ending: Commissioners did not take a formal vote on policy changes at the meeting; staff said they would report back as Merrimack Community Power develops specific proposals and mailings.