Welcome New Member – Cathedral Ledge Distillery! by NHEC | Nov 30, 2020 | Energy Efficiency, UncategorizedWith modern energy efficiency built into its classic timber frame construction, the new Cathedral Ledge Distillery will soon be lifting spirits in North Conway! The organic “grain to glass” distillery has worked closely with NHEC to identify and pursue energy efficiency opportunities, as well as the incentives that have made them more affordable to install. “They’ve been a good sounding board,” said Cathedral Ledge owner Christopher Burk of his experience working with NHEC Commercial Accounts administrators Chelsea Smith and Joe Lajewski. “There are a lot of options when you’re building new, it requires some pre-planning and that’s where NHEC helped tie it together.” Burk said NHEC’s technical assistance early in the building design process was important. Working with building engineers Resilient Buildings Group of Concord, NH, NHEC provided analysis of various energy efficiency measures from the building shell to the distilling process. “This technical assistance early in the process was critical and it’s what we really want members to know,” said NHEC’s Joe Lajewski. “We can be most effective in helping members early in the building process. Changes to key energy systems are difficult to make once construction documents are finalized.” Distilling is an energy-intensive process, Burk explained, requiring lots of thermal energy followed by rapid cooling. To maximize the building’s efficiency, energy recovery tanks were installed underground, capturing hot water from the distilling process and circulating it through the radiant floor heating in the winter. In the building’s retail area and tasting room, highly-efficient heat pumps supplement the radiant floor heat in winter while providing cooling and dehumidification in summer. Other energy efficiency features of Cathedral Ledge Distillery include: 10-inch poly insulation beneath timber frame exterior (beyond code) High-efficiency propane boiler All LED lighting Dark Sky-compliant outdoor lighting w/photo-sensitive dimmers The business, located at 3340 White Mountain Highway in North Conway, also features two Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations on-site for customer use. LEARN MORE ABOUT NHEC INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL EV CHARGERS! Burk says he’s aiming to open to the public before the end of the year. Pallets of organic grain and empty glass bottles are awaiting the distillery’s first run of vodka and gin. “We’re so close I can taste it,” he said. ____________________________________________________________ BUILDING NEW? MAJOR RENOVATION OR EXPANSION? Call the NHEC Commercial Accounts team BEFORE you build! Chelsea Smith Commercial Accounts Administrator 603.536.8855; smithc@nhec.com Energy needs and rate analysis Guidance on available NHEC incentives SmartHub Energy Management Joe Lajewski, C.E.M. Energy Solutions Program Administrator 603.536.8663; lajewskij@nhec.com Identify energy efficiency opportunities and technologies Guidance on NHEC program incentives to defray costs Assistance with incentive applications
Pilot Project Aims to Reduce Outage Times by NHEC | Nov 16, 2020 | Outage, Uncategorized Using technology like this Viper recloser, NHEC is reducing the time it takes to restore power. With the application of advanced engineering and communication technologies in the field, NHEC is reducing the time it takes to restore power outages. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, or SCADA, is making it possible for an employee in our Plymouth Control Center to safely do in a few minutes what would normally take a lineworker an hour or more to do in the field. NHEC has long had the ability to remotely monitor and control the flow of power within its 45 substations, but a pilot project underway this year is providing that same control on smaller circuits outside the substations, where the majority of outages occur. In practical terms, that means the NHEC Control Center, working with field crews on the scene, will be able to refeed entire circuits that have lost power with a few mouse clicks. The manual process of refeeding circuits can be a time-consuming task for a line crew. But by utilizing SCADA to support lineworkers on the ground, outage times can be reduced significantly. A key part of NHEC’s SCADA project is an investment in a variety of ‘recloser’ technologies. Like a circuit breaker on household electric lines, reclosers shut off electric power when trouble occurs, such as a short circuit. Reclosers also allow power to flow if the interruption is temporary, like a branch that brushes a line when it falls. NHEC is installing a variety of recloser technologies in the field that will respond to automated processes activated by employees from our Control Center. The result – shorter outage times and increased reliability for members.
Difficulty Paying Your Utility Bill? View this Free Webinar! by NHEC | Nov 13, 2020 | Covid, Uncategorized Are you having difficulty paying your utility bills or know someone that is? Please CLICK HERE to view an informative webinar that explains the assistance programs that are available. Learn how to qualify and enroll in the programs.
Candidates Wanted for Board of Directors & Nominating Committee by NHEC | Nov 12, 2020 | Annual Meeting, UncategorizedNHEC is governed by a Board of Directors, which is elected by our members. Each year, a Nominating Committee recommends candidates to run for the Board of Directors. NHEC is seeking members interested in serving on both panels – the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. Board of Directors In 2021, four seats on the 11-member Board of Directors will be up for election to three-year terms. Voting will take place by mail or electronic ballot in May 2021, with new Board members taking their seats at the June annual meeting of members. NHEC seeks broad representation from a diverse group of individuals and encourages all qualified members to consider running. You must be a Co-op member in order to run for a position on the Board. For more information about how to get your name on next year’s ballot, contact Sharon Yeaton at 603-536-8801, or yeatons@nhec.com. Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee reviews the qualifications of potential candidates seeking election to the Board of Directors and nominates a slate of candidates to run for the four open seats. Any Co-op member interested in being part of the candidate selection process for the NHEC Board of Directors is encouraged to apply for a position on the Nominating Committee. For more information about time requirements and applying to be considered for the Nominating Committee, contact Sharon Yeaton at 603-536-8801, or yeatons@nhec.com.
NHEC Closed November 11 for Veterans Day by NHEC | Nov 10, 2020 | UncategorizedNHEC and the NHEC Member Solutions Call Center will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. Members can still make automated payments on SmartHub or by calling 800.698.2007. The NHEC Control Center is staffed 24/7. To report an outage, please call 800.343.6432.
NHEC Sets Co-op Power and Transmission Rates for Upcoming Winter by NHEC | Oct 26, 2020 | Rates, UncategorizedPLYMOUTH, NH – New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) rates for the upcoming winter period will increase 9.5% over current summer rates, but are down 1.7% from last winter’s rate. The rate changes take effect with bills rendered on or after November 1 and are the result of adjustments to two portions of members’ bills: the Co-op Power Charge and the Regional Access Charge. The Co-op Power Charge reflects the cost NHEC pays to purchase electricity for its members from the wholesale market. The cost of this power is directly passed through to members who do not purchase electricity from a competitive supplier. The Regional Access Charge includes the transmission costs NHEC pays to deliver electricity to its distribution system. As with the Co-op Power Charge, the costs NHEC incurs from transmission companies are passed directly through to members. For a residential member using 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month, the winter rate changes will result in an overall bill increase of $9.43 (9.5%) per month when compared to summer rates. However, the new winter rate is a decrease of $1.93 (1.7%) per month when compared to rates in effect last November. NHEC’s Delivery Charge rate and Member Service Charge portions of members’ bills are not changing, in line with NHEC’s stated goal of not increasing distribution charges in 2020. These two charges pay for NHEC’s operations and investments in the Co-op’s distribution system. The increase in the Co-op Power Charge is primarily due to an annual pattern of higher energy costs in winter months in New England. During the winter, the demand for natural gas as a heating fuel increases. Since natural gas is used to generate much of the electricity in New England, the increased demand for natural gas to heat homes and businesses causes the price of electricity to increase. The increase in the Regional Access Charge is primarily due to continued investment and maintenance of high voltage electrical lines by the transmission companies that own them. The Regional Access Charge also includes a credit from revenue associated with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. NHEC’s winter rates are in effect from November 1 to May 1. A complete list of NHEC rates and fees is available HERE