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Oct 30, 2009 - Rate Changes Result in Overall Winter Decrease
The Co-op Board of Directors has approved a number of changes to the rates and charges you pay for electric service. Below is a review of those changes, as well as a discussion of other measures NHEC is taking to meet the economic challenges of the times.
Co-op Power
Effective November 1, 2009, the Co-op Power line item on your bill (the price you pay for our purchases of electricity from generators and wholesale suppliers) decreased 8.2%. This decrease is the result of expected lower energy costs during the upcoming winter period. Wholesale electricity is generally more expensive in winter due to New England’s heavy reliance on natural gas for both electricity and heating fuel. However, the nation enters this winter with a record amount of natural gas available in storage. Strong gas production and weak demand due to mild weather, and the recession are holding gas prices for this winter down. NHEC does not make a profit on the costs of wholesale generation and electricity purchases – we charge our members only what it costs us to purchase power.
Regional Access Charge
Effective November 1, 2009, the Regional Access Charge increased 2.8% for a basic residential member. Some of the costs this charge recovers are set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and cover the Co-op’s share of the cost to build and operate the regional transmission system that gets power from generators to your home or business. Several billion dollars worth of improvements are currently underway on the New England transmission grid, aimed at improving overall reliability of the transmission grid and relieving transmission bottlenecks in locations such as the southern Connecticut and Boston metro areas. Some of the reliability improvements have occurred in New Hampshire as well, aimed at relieving congestion on the system between northern and southern New England.
Member Service Charge
Effective November 1, 2009, the Member Service Charge increased 7% to $21.41 per month. The Member Service Charge is a flat fee that is meant to recover most of the fixed costs to operate our distribution system. Whether you use no energy or 1,000 kilowatt-hours, there is a fixed cost associated with maintaining the poles, wires and meters that provide you with access to electricity. Earlier this summer, NHEC completed a Cost of Service study that showed the average cost to serve one member, without the sales of kilowatt-hours, is $37.25 per month. In order to keep rates as affordable and equitable as possible, NHEC does not seek to recover that entire cost through the Member Service Charge. The Delivery Charge portion of your bill, a per-kilowatt hour charge, is the other charge by which NHEC recovers the cost to provide service.
The Bottom Line
As a result of these changes described above, the typical residential member using 500 kWh per month will see an overall bill decrease of 2.3% effective November 1, 2009.
Cutting Costs
Rate changes alone are not enough to provide for the long-term sustainability of the Co-op during this prolonged period of declining kilowatt-hour sales and growth in new members. The Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to eliminate positions, freeze new hiring, reduce benefits and eliminate programs that are not essential to the core business of the company. These decisions have been made necessary in part by the sluggish economy, but also by unexpected and unprecedented increases in the cost of benefits. Fortunately, NHEC entered these hard times on solid financial footing and, with the changes outlined, can weather this downturn. We all hope for better times but are making the decisions necessary to ensure the Co-op remains viable
Oct 21, 2009 - NHEC Accepting Sealed Bids for Vehicles, Equipment
New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) is preparing to offer for bid, vehicles and equipment that are ready for disposition. This bid offering is being made available to the membership, Co-op employees and retirees with the disposal process and listing of vehicles as follows.
Member Solutions representatives cannot answer questions regarding vehicles and equipment being disposed. All questions will be answered during the two vehicle and equipment viewing dates listed. Bid sheets for submitting bids can be picked up at the viewings. A separate sheet for each vehicle bid must be submitted.
Sealed bids are due by the end of the workday (4:30 p.m.) Thursday, November 12, 2009. Bid openings and awarding of bids will take place Friday, November 13, 2009. Vehicles are sold “As Is” and “Where Is” without warranties of any kind whatsoever. NHEC reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Payment must be made and vehicle(s) removed by Tuesday, November 24, 2009. Payment will only be accepted in the form of cash, certified check, or bank draft. A tentative list of vehicles and equipment for November disposal includes:
(1) 1-Ton 4x4 w/ enclosed utility body
(2) Digger Derricks
(1) 50 ft. Material Handling Bucket Truck
(2) Cargo Vans
(1) Mini Van
(1) ½ ton 4x4 pickup
(1) Sedan
(1) Station wagon
LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Viewing dates and times: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bids due: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 4:30 p.m. Bid openings and awards: Friday, November 13, 2009 Vehicle/Equipment removal: No later than November 24, 2009, 4:30 p.m. Vehicle viewing location: NHEC Vehicle Maintenance facility 533 Tenney Mountain Highway Plymouth, NH
*Information on the vehicles and equipment will be provided only at the scheduled viewing dates listed. Please do not contact the Co-op about vehicle and equipment conditions.
Sep 8, 2009 - 4th Annual Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Nets $6,700
PLYMOUTH, NH – Two New Hampshire non-profit groups will share $6,700 raised by over 200 runners and walkers Saturday at the 4 th Annual Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K road race. (complete results here)
Mark Miller of Keene continued his dominance of the event, winning his fourth consecutive title in a time of 15:19. Winning the women’s division for her first Covered Bridge 5K title was Kara Haas of Chelmsford, MA in a time of 18:11. Both winners took home cash prizes of $250.
The race, which saw the field gather for the start inside the Smith Millennium Covered Bridge in Plymouth, is sponsored by New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) and benefits the Pemi Youth Center of Plymouth and Keeping You, Me & Memories Alive, Inc., an organization that supports individuals and families undergoing cancer treatment in central New Hampshire.
Pushing race winner Miller along the 3.1 mile course was Pat Ward of Philadelphia PA, who finished 34 seconds back in second place. Local runners Ellyn Tighe of Campton and Barbara Kilfoyle of Plymouth were the second and third place female finishers.
All race participants enjoyed food donated by the Common Man Inn of Plymouth. Race announcer Andy Schachat of Dover provided pre-race entertainment and race analysis during the event. The organizers wish to thank Rand’s Hardware of Plymouth for donating tents, tables and chairs to the event. A post-race raffle awarded gift certificates and a grand prize of a weekend getaway package donated by The Inn at Mill Falls of Meredith.
Jun 12, 2009 - Co-op Members Raise $1,000 for Plymouth Senior Meals
PLYMOUTH, NH – Members and guests attending the 70th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) on June 10 raised $1,000 for the Plymouth Regional Senior Center’s Senior Meals program.
The donation was made possible by the generosity of the Italian Farmhouse restaurant in Plymouth, a member of the Common Man family of restaurants, which provided a spaghetti dinner free of charge for members attending the Annual Meeting. Suggested donations of $5 per person, plus the proceeds from a post-meeting raffle, were given to the Senior Meals program.
The Plymouth Regional Senior Center produces and home delivers more than 35,000 meals each year and serves more than 20,000 meals in its dining room.
Jun 10, 2009 - At 70th Annual Meeting, Co-op Looks Ahead
PLYMOUTH, NH – Despite the economic downturn that slowed growth and pinched revenues in 2008, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) is in the best financial shape of its 70-year life, company officials reported at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Members.
Speaking to approximately 200 members and guests at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center, NHEC President/CEO Fred Anderson said a year of storms – both natural and financial – resulted in declining kilowatt-hour sales and expensive system repairs. The December 2008 ice storm and July 2008 tornado caused a combined $3 million worth of damage to the Co-op’s electrical distribution system, he said, 75% of which was recovered from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Despite all the difficulties, NHEC’s equity to assets ratio is as good as it’s ever been and we’ve been able to weather the downturn with no impact on service. In fact, we achieved our highest-ever equity – 25% by 2009,” Anderson said.
A strong equity position means the Co-op can rely less on the need to borrow money to finance operations and can become financially independent, remarked NHEC Board member and Treasurer Dave Talbot of North Woodstock.
“If we can’t avoid nature’s storms we can at least minimize the effect of storms created by an economy in turmoil,” he said, noting that NHEC still realized a 3.9% margin in 2008 on operating revenues of $145,439,000.
NHEC Board Chairman Earl Hansen of Holderness offered members a vision of NHEC’s future, detailing the company’s plans to take advantage of sweeping technological changes happening now in the electric industry.
NHEC is in the midst of a multi-year effort to install Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), he said, which is essential if NHEC is to bring the benefits of “smart grid” technologies to its members.
When the AMI project is completed, every electric meter in the Co-op system will have two-way communications with Co-op headquarters. Meters will report their own readings as well as outages, he said, and give members a better understanding of how much electricity they are using, when they are using it and what they are using it to power. With AMI in place, NHEC can explore different rate structures that offer members incentives to use electricity during off-peak hours, saving them money and reducing peak demands on the New England electrical grid.
In the wake of huge outages during the 2008 ice storm, Hansen said NHEC is actively reviewing new ways to communicate with members, including using Twitter, Facebook and other Internet based options.
Hansen also touted NHEC’s Social & Environmental Responsibility programs that are offering rebates to members who install renewable energy systems. NHEC is also “committed to ensuring that our power supply purchases include as much renewable energy as is feasible because it is the right thing to do,” he said.
“Renewable costs are on the decline while fossil fuels are on the incline. We will pursue a more aggressive approach to obtaining a cleaner/renewable power supply in the coming years. While striving to diversify our power supply, we will do so prudently so that the cost of Co-op Power remains affordable for members,” Hansen added.
Also announced at Annual Meeting were the results of balloting to elect four members of the NHEC Board of Directors. A total of 10,447 ballots were cast by members, who re-elected four incumbent Board members who were running unopposed. Re-elected to three-year terms on the 11-member Board were Charles “Chuck” Braxton of Meredith, Kenneth Colburn of Meredith, Sharon Davis of Campton and Dave Talbot of North Woodstock.
Also announced at the Annual Meeting was the winner of a vehicle that was awarded to one member who returned his or her ballot to the Co-op. John Howe of Jackson was selected in a drawing to receive the Jeep Cherokee Sport that is being retired from the Co-op fleet.
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05/04/2009
BOD Election Ballots Mailing to Members
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04/20/2009
NHEC Announces Rebates on Renewable Energy Systems
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04/14/2009
'Capital Credits' to Be Listed on April/May Bills
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04/09/2009
'Red Flag' Requirements Help Fight Identity Theft
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03/09/2009
NHEC Lineman Receives Life Saving Award
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01/29/2009
Feb. 11 Deadline to Apply for Nomination to Board
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12/23/2008
NHEC HQ Closed December 26
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12/20/2008
ICE STORM UPDATES
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12/20/2008
Major Repair Work Complete Following Ice Storm
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11/25/2008
Seeking Candidates for BOD, Nominating Committee
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11/17/2008
Co-op Food Bank Challenge Hits $100,000 Goal, Donations Still Accepted
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10/08/2008
Wind Power to Flow Soon Through Co-op Country
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09/02/2008
Co-op Covered Bridge 5K Results
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07/29/2008
Co-op Launches $100,000 Food Bank Challenge
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06/24/2008
Annual Meeting 2008: Renewable Energy Contracts Announced
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06/24/2008
Reals, Incumbents Elected to NHEC Board
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06/09/2008
Annual Meeting Is June 21 at Loon Mountain
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05/30/2008
NHEC Hosts June 3 Town Energy Forum
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05/07/2008
Seasonal Rate Adjustment Effective May 1, 2008
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04/23/2008
Online Outage Map Goes Live
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03/31/2008
Co-op Aims to Reduce Carbon Footprint
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03/25/2008
NHEC Foundation Passes Half-Million Dollar Mark
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03/06/2008
Ski Partnership Wins National Energy Efficiency Award
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01/29/2008
Committee Sets Feb. 15 Deadline for BOD Nominations
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01/16/2008
A New Home for Squam's Ospreys
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12/13/2007
NHEC Wins National Energy Efficiency Award
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11/27/2007
Lighting Project Brings Out the Stars in Waterville Valley
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09/03/2007
Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Nets $6,000 for Pemi Youth Center
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08/22/2007
NHEC Foundation Awards $46,000 in Grants
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08/22/2007
Co-op Lineman Named 'Huskie Tools Hero'
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08/06/2007
2nd Annual Pemi Youth Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Set for September 1
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07/30/2007
Co-op's Revolving Loan Fund Is Open for Business
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06/18/2007
Annual Meeting 2007 Focuses on Changing Energy Landscape
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06/18/2007
Four Incumbents Re-Elected to NHEC Board
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05/25/2007
NHEC Joins 25x'25 Renewable Energy Coalition
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05/08/2007
68th Annual Meeting to be held June 12 at Plymouth State University
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04/22/2007
Power Fully Restored Following April Nor'Easter
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04/21/2007
APRIL STORM PICS
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04/16/2007
Four Candidates Nominated for Board of Directors
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03/30/2007
NHEC Honored for Board Development
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02/13/2007
Energy Efficiency Puts NHEC in National Spotlight
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01/18/2007
Wanted: Exceptional High School Juniors for 2007 Youth Tour
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01/15/2007
Now Accepting Applications for 2007 Scholarships
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01/03/2007
NHEC Seeks Board Candidates for Nomination
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01/03/2007
NHEC Foundation Grant Brings History Alive
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11/01/2006
Hard Work, Teamwork, Key to Storm Restoration
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10/25/2006
NHEC Foundation Donates $10,700 to NH Food Bank
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10/04/2006
State Announces New Eligibility Requirements for Electric Assistance Program
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09/07/2006
Miller, Westerling Blaze to Victory at Pemi Youth Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K
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07/20/2006
NHEC Receives Grant for Economic Development Loan Program
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06/28/2006
NHEC and Pemi Youth Center Hosted Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Road Race
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06/08/2006
Annual Meeting 2006: Another Good Year, but Challenges Lie Ahead
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05/25/2006
Mount Cranmore and NHEC Team Up for Energy Efficiency
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05/18/2006
Former Board Member Wins Aiken Award
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04/27/2006
NHEC Honored for Board Development
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04/27/2006
NHEC Board Member Achieves National Certification
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04/27/2006
Renewable Energy Group Gets Boost From NHEC Foundation
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04/03/2006
NHEC Foundation Completes First Round of Grants
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03/14/2006
NHEC to Launch WildBlue™ Satellite Internet Service
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03/06/2006
NHEC Foundation Makes Wish Come True
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02/28/2006
Candidates Nominated for BOD
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02/21/2006
Storm Recovery Complete
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12/16/2005
Winter Heating Assistance
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12/16/2005
Your Space Heating Solution
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