NHEC Annual Meeting Is June 22, 2020 by NHEC | May 26, 2020 | Annual Meeting, UncategorizedThe 81st Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Sununu’s Executive Order 2020-04 and Emergency Order 12 (Temporary modification of public access to meetings under RSA 91-A), NHEC’s 2020 Annual Meeting will be conducted electronically, without a physical location. The 2020 Annual Meeting will be broadcast as a live Zoom Webinar. To register for the meeting, please visit: https://www.nhec.com/2020-annual-meeting/. When your registration has been confirmed, you will receive an email link to the Annual Meeting URL, which you can bookmark and add to your calendar. Just click the meeting link a little before 10 a.m. on June 22 to listen in and/or ask questions. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with NHEC staff and Board.
Voting Underway in 2020 Election by NHEC | May 21, 2020 | UncategorizedPLYMOUTH, NH (May 21, 2020) – Voting is underway in the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) annual election. As a member-owned, democratic electric cooperative, NHEC members vote each year on the organization’s Board of Directors and proposed bylaw changes. This year NHEC members will vote to fill three seats on NHEC’s Board of Directors. NHEC members have until Tuesday, June 16, 2020 to return their completed paper ballot or cast their electronic ballot via a secure, online portal. Election results will be announced at the 81st Annual Meeting of Members, to be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 22. Due to ongoing restrictions on public gatherings, the annual meeting will be conducted online, with no physical location. To register to attend the online meeting, please visit www.nhec.com/2020-annual-meeting. All NHEC members are welcome to attend and will be able to interact with presenters. Five candidates are seeking election this year to three seats on NHEC’s 11-member Board of Directors. Four candidates were selected by the NHEC Nominating Committee, which reviews the qualifications of each candidate and recommends those it feels would best contribute to the successful operation of NHEC. A fifth candidate was nominated by petition, which according to NHEC Bylaws, must be signed by at least 100 current NHEC members. This year’s candidates selected by the Nominating Committee include Leo Dwyer of Sandwich, Madeline McElaney of Plymouth, Mark Portu of Lincoln, and Harry Viens of Center Harbor. William Darcy of Benton was nominated by petition. NHEC members will receive written statements from the candidates in support of their candidacies along with a ballot. This year’s ballot also includes a proposed change to NHEC’s Certificate of Organization, which states the purposes for which NHEC was formed. The proposed amendment was submitted by member petition, and seeks to add language to the NHEC Certificate of Organization that would include “facilitating access to broadband internet for members” as a stated purpose of the cooperative. By a vote of 7-3 with one abstention, the NHEC Board of Directors has opposed the proposed change. The statements of proponents and opponents are included on the ballot. Results of the voting will be announced with the Board election results at NHEC’s Annual Meeting on June 22.
NHEC Holding Rates Steady for Summer Period by NHEC | May 12, 2020 | Rates, UncategorizedPLYMOUTH, NH – New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) has announced that it will hold its Co-op Power rate steady at the current level for the summer period (May 2020 – November 2020). The Co-op Power rate reflects the cost NHEC pays to purchase electricity from the regional market on behalf of its members. The price NHEC pays for this power is directly passed along to its members who do not buy their electricity from a competitive supplier. Market prices have been low, so NHEC members will continue to benefit from lower regional electricity costs. The current Co-op Power rate is 18% lower than last year’s summer period. “With all the uncertainty and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to be able to continue to provide low rates for our members,” said NHEC President/CEO Steve Camerino. For members who purchase their power from NHEC, the Co-op Power rate will remain at 6.6¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The total billing rate for the summer period is 14¢ per kWh. For the typical residential member using 500 kWh per month, the total monthly bill is $99.47. By comparison, last summer’s total monthly bill for a 500 kWh residential member was $104.55. NHEC’s complete schedule of rates and fees is available here.
Capital Credits to be listed on April/May bills by NHEC | Apr 15, 2020 | UncategorizedNew Hampshire Electric Cooperative will be allocating positive operating margins to each of its members’ accounts based on their individual usage. As a result, a line item pertaining to “capital credits” will appear on the bottom of your April and/or May bills (see message below). It will indicate the amount that is being set aside in your capital account. Please note that this is an equity account, not a cash account. It represents your ownership interest, or equity, in the Cooperative. YOUR CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATION FOR 2019 IS $0.00. THIS AMOUNT WILL BE APPLIED TO YOUR PATRONAGE CAPITAL ACCOUNT.
NHEC Members Encouraged to Vote Electronically in 2020 BOD Election by NHEC | Mar 26, 2020 | UncategorizedWith heightened concerns over the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, NHEC is strongly encouraging its members to cast their vote online in the upcoming NHEC Board of Directors Election. Members with email addresses on file with NHEC are receiving an email today with easy instructions for opting out of receiving a paper ballot and voting online. Online voting is safe, easy and secure. We hope members will take advantage of this option when the election opens in May. All members who do not opt out will receive a paper ballot in the mail with instructions for submitting their ballot online. As always, members can also vote by paper ballot and return it to NHEC in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Click here to learn more about the Director Election process.