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Town council authorizes conditional move toward community choice aggregation
Summary
Council voted 7-0 to allow the town manager to sign documents to launch a Community Choice Aggregation electricity program if pending Public Utilities Commission rates make the program financially advantageous; presenters projected short-term savings if bids hold.
The Merrimack Town Council voted unanimously on Jan. 8 to authorize the town manager to sign any necessary documents for a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) electricity supply agreement if the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission finalizes a rate that makes the program beneficial. The motion passed 7-0.
Bart, the town’s presenter on the multi-year aggregation effort, said the program was approved by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission last year and that the town had waited for a market window that would provide savings to customers. Bidders returned indicative pricing that included a seven-month product starting in April at roughly 10.2¢ per kilowatt hour; Eversource has asked the PUC to approve 11.3¢ per kWh, which, if finalized, could produce about a 10% savings. Based on the seven-month example, Bart estimated aggregate savings of about $641,000 (roughly $55 per ratepayer) over the contract term.
Bart said the recommended path was to proceed if the PUC finalizes the 11.3¢ figure and if contract bids remain at their current levels. If market prices change unfavorably before the PUC decision, the town would not move forward. The proposed operational timeline: bid process immediately after PUC approval, town manager to sign the supply agreement mid-January, an informational campaign in February and March, opt-out mailers in late February, and an April 1 enrollment start date for default-service customers.
Council members asked for clarification about opt-out mechanics (default Eversource customers would be auto-enrolled and must opt out to decline; customers with third-party suppliers or net metering would receive opt-in mailers). The council’s authorization explicitly made the manager’s signature contingent on finalized PUC rates and an acceptable market window.
The council’s action was procedural authorization to let the town proceed if conditions are met; the motion did not commit the town to proceed if market conditions shift.
