NHEC Announces 26% Reduction in Electricity Supply Rate by NHEC | Feb 26, 2020 | UncategorizedPLYMOUTH, NH – New Hampshire Electric Cooperative’s (NHEC) Board of Directors has approved a 26% reduction to its members’ electricity supply rate. The rate reduction applies to the Co-op Power portion of members’ bills, and will result in an overall bill decrease of over $11.00, for the average residential member using 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. NHEC typically adjusts its Co-op Power rate in November and May every year. This rate reflects the cost NHEC pays to purchase electricity from the 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. Since the winter period Co-op Power rate was set in November, the market cost of electricity has plummeted. This precipitous drop in market prices, below what was forecast, has allowed NHEC to procure electricity for its members at a lower cost. Recognizing the difference between the current rate and market prices, NHEC has adjusted the Co-op Power rate outside of the normal cycle, which will provide the benefit of these low market prices back to members as soon as possible. The lower than expected market prices are due to many factors that have impacted electricity costs over the past few months. Most notably, New England has experienced a very mild winter, which kept the cost of electricity low. Temperature is closely linked to the price of electricity, as it drives the demand for more energy during the cold, dark months of winter, and hot, humid summer months. As a result of the Board of Directors’ vote, NHEC’s Co-op Power rate will drop from 8.8¢ per kWh to 6.6¢ per kWh. NHEC’s members will see the benefits from this rate reduction starting in their March bills. “I am pleased that we were able to move quickly to reduce our rates and pass along the benefit of the low market prices to our members,” said Steve Camerino, president and CEO of NHEC. “NHEC is a nonprofit cooperative and we operate at cost, so our rates reflect the expenses we incur to serve our members. We are a member-driven organization so passing along these savings to our members as quickly as possible is a priority for us.”
NHEC Foundation awards $237,668 in grants in 2019. by NHEC | Feb 17, 2020 | UncategorizedThanks to the generosity of NHEC members who participate in the Round Up program, the NHEC Foundation was able to award $237,668 in grants to 56 nonprofit and charitable organizations in 2019. Foundation grants supported worthy programs and projects from Raymond to Colebrook and in all parts of NHEC’s service territory. The NHEC Foundation Board of Trustees encourages all groups working to improve the quality of life for our members to find out more about awards and challenge grants. Organization Name Amount of Award Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country $5,000 Advice to the Players $2,500 American Red Cross of NH/VT $10,000 Appalachian Mountain Club $2,500 Believe in Books Literacy Foundation $2,500 Boys & Girls Club of Central NH $2,500 Bridge House $10,000 Campton Elementary Park & Recreation Department $2,550 Circle Program $2,500 Communities for Alcohol & Drug-Free Youth (CADY) $5,000 Copper Cannon Camp $1,000 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) $2,000 Cub Scout Pack 53 $1,500 D Acres of NH $1,500 Deerwood Foundation $500 Easter Seals NH $2,500 Friends of Meredith Parks & Recreation $2,500 Friends of the Libby Museum $3,500 Friends Program $3,000 Got Lunch! Campton / Thornton $2,000 Got Lunch! Colebrook $2,000 Got Lunch! Plymouth $2,000 Harbor Homes $10,000 HHB Healing Foundation $1,800 Hooks N Needles $1,000 Kathy Anderson Scholarship $2,500 Make-A-Wish Foundation of NH $1,000 Margret and HA Rey Center $2,500 Mayhew Program $5,000 New Hampshire Audubon $3,000 NH Food Bank $10,300 NH LAKES $3,500 New Hampshire Public Radio $2,500 NHEC Foundation Scholarship Awards $9,000 North Conway Public Library $5,000 North Country Cares $1,000 Pemi Baker Community Health $3,454 Pemi Youth Center $2,000 Plymouth Area Community Closet $6,250 Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative $10,000 Plymouth Elementary Park and Recreation Department $2,325 Project Care $44,178 Reach High Scholars Program $5,000 Russell Elementary School $2,000 Salvation Army of Laconia $2,054 Sandwich Children’s Center $2,000 School District SAU 48 $5,000 Society for the Protection of NH Forests $3,607 Spaulding Youth Center $2,000 Squam Lakes Natural Science Center $4,150 Tapply-Thompson Community Center $2,500 Tillotson Center $3,000 Visiting Nurse Home Care & Hospice of Carroll County $6,000 Winnipesaukee Playhouse $1,000 YMCA Camp Nellie Huckins $2,000 YMCA of Greater Boston $2,000 $237,668
NH Electric Co-op Foundation Announces Fourth Quarter Grant Recipients by NHEC | Feb 17, 2020 | UncategorizedPLYMOUTH, NH – The New Hampshire Electric Co-op Foundation (NHEC Foundation) awarded 11 grants totaling $42,558 to organizations throughout New Hampshire. The following organizations received grants ranging from $1,500 – $10,000. American Red Cross of NH/VT, Campton Elementary School Park & Recreation Program, Communities for Alcohol & Drug-Free Youth (CADY), Cub Scout Pack 53 (Alton), Friends Program, Mayhew Program, Pemi Baker Community Health, Salvation Army of Laconia, School District SAU 48, Russell Elementary School (Rumney), Tillotson Center (Colebrook). The NHEC Foundation is funded by the generosity of over 44,000 New Hampshire Electric Co-op members who participate in the Round Up Program. Participating members agree to have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the next dollar, which enables the NHEC Foundation to award quarterly grants and scholarships to children of NHEC members. To learn more about the NHEC Foundation, enroll in the Round Up Program or apply for a Foundation grant, please visit www.nhec.com/nhec-foundation. New Hampshire Electric Co-op is a member-led electric distribution cooperative serving 84,000 homes and businesses in 115 New Hampshire communities. www.nhec.com.
Winter Rates Set by NHEC | Oct 30, 2019 | UncategorizedStarting November 1, 2019, NHEC’s residential members can expect a total bill increase of about 5%, or $5.50 per month. While this is an increase compared to our current summer rates, the 2019-20 winter rates are 83 cents less than last winter’s rates. This increase is being driven by changes to the Co-op Power Charge (the cost of actual energy used) and the Regional Access Charge (the cost of transmission grid services). These charges are directly passed through to our members – the cost to NHEC is the cost you pay. For most members, the Co-op Power Charge will increase by 10%, while the Regional Access Charge will increase by 13% over the current summer rate. The increased Co-op Power Charge is primarily due to the continuing pattern of higher energy costs in winter months in the Northeast. This is due to regional natural gas supply constraints. Natural gas is used to generate roughly half of the electricity in New England. Natural gas demand increases sharply during the winter months, when it is used as a heating fuel, which reduces supply and drives up the cost of generating electricity. The increase in the Regional Access Charge is primarily due to an increase in the costs other companies charge NHEC to deliver energy to our distribution system. Click here for a complete list of NHEC rates and fees.
Disposal of Fleet & Equipment by NHEC | Sep 30, 2019 | UncategorizedNew 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. ***NHEC 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 may 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 14, 2019. Bid openings and awarding of bids will take place Friday, November 15, 2019. Vehicles are sold “As Is” and “Where Is” without warranties of any kind whatsoever. NHEC reserves the right to reject any and all bids. NOT responsible for bids lost in the mail or late. A tentative list of vehicles and equipment for November disposal includes: (1) 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 4×4 X cab pickup (#52) (2) 2010 Chevrolet Colorado 4×4 X cab pickups (#61,74) (1) 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 4×4 X cab pickup (#73) (2) 2011 Ford F150 4×4 X cab pickups (#90,92) (3) 2012 Ford F150 4×4 X cab pickups (#59,65,103) (1) 2013 Ford f150 4×4 X cab pickup (#29) (1) 2004 Chevy Tahoe (106) (1) 1995 IHC 4900 Digger Derrick (12D) (1) 1999 FLH Fl70 50 ft MH Bucket (41D) (1) 2006 FLH M2 106 55ft. MH Bucket (21D) (1) 2004 FLH FL80 55ft. MH Bucket (132D) (1) 1987 Grimmer Schmidt portable air compressor (T-13) (1) 1975 Lindsay portable air compressor (T-20) (1) 1985 Lindsay portable air compressor (T-32) (1) 2005 Hudson Equipment trailer (T-26) ABOVE LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Viewing dates and times: Wednesday, November 6, 2019, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, November 7, 2019, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m Bids due: Thursday, November 14, 2019, 4:30 p.m. Bid openings and awards: Friday, November 15, 2019 Vehicle/Equipment removal: No later than November 27, 2019 Vehicle viewing location: NHEC Vehicle Maintenance facility 533 Tenney Mountain Highway Plymouth, NH Successful Bidders: Payment must be made and vehicle(s) removed by Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Payment will only be accepted in the form of certified check or bank draft. You will be called if you are the highest bidder and an appointment must be made to process the paperwork. ***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.***
Cornish School Making a Smart Start on Energy Savings by NHEC | Aug 19, 2019 | UncategorizedFollowing the success of a three-year energy conservation project at the neighboring Plainfield Elementary School, officials at the Cornish Elementary School took a hard look at the little school that is home to 95 students. “For a smaller footprint in Cornish, we were spending three times as much on energy costs as we did in Plainfield,” recalled Beth Bierwirth, Business Manager of the joint partnership of SAUs that oversee operations at both schools. That realization was the start of a concerted effort to get the Cornish school’s energy costs under control. The timing of the project was right, Bierwirth said, matching the start of the town’s “Go Green” initiative. With energy conservation on the minds of town and school officials alike, “we started exploring every avenue where we can create energy savings,” Bierwirth said. The school found a partner in New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC), which started work with the school in 2016 on a replacement of outdoor lighting with highly-efficient LED lights. With a total project cost of $6,650, an NHEC incentive of $3,325 and annual energy savings of $1,150, the LED project will pay for itself by the end of this year. A project underway at the school this year has much bigger goals, and a bigger price tag – $61,000 to replace indoor T8 fluorescent lighting with LEDs. To fund the project, the school turned to NHEC’s SmartSTART® program, which is providing a 6.5 year loan that is being paid back by the energy savings alone. SmartSTART (Savings Through Affordable Retrofit Technologies) is an innovative financing tool that removes the upfront cost of energy efficiency improvements, allows the loan to be paid off by the energy cost savings of the installed measures, and even provides some positive cash flow during the payback period. “It really made it easy to sell to our school board,” Bierwirth noted. The project numbers speak for themselves: $60,925 project cost $30,000 NHEC Incentive $30,925 net cost $7,320 annual energy savings $1,824 annual positive cash flow after loan payment 5 year loan To learn more about NHEC’s Smart START program, visit our website, or contact Program Administrator Joe Lajewski at lajewskij@nhec.com, or (603) 536-8663.