What’s Causing Higher Winter Bills? by NHEC | Dec 5, 2016 | UncategorizedYou can count on three things during a New England winter: snow, cold and higher electric rates. Though this year’s winter bill increase isn’t as high as it has been, the typical residential Co-op member is still seeing an increase of 14%, or about $12.70 per month. So what’s behind these seasonal price swings? Two words: natural gas. The driver of winter electric prices is the cost of natural gas delivery into New England. Nearly half of the electricity produced in New England is generated by natural gas. Though the price of natural gas at the wellhead remains relatively low, a continuing lack of adequate gas pipeline capacity into New England means that power producers are competing again this winter with home heating for limited natural gas supplies. This causes a significant winter increase in the price of natural gas delivered to New England, which corresponds to an increase in the price of wholesale electricity. There are some ways to mitigate the effects of higher electric rates. Check out our slate of energy efficiency programs here, or get some tips and advice here that can help you conserve energy without sacrificing comfort.
Slight Rate Increase Effective January 1 by NHEC | Oct 21, 2016 | Uncategorized Effective with bills rendered January 1, 2017, slight rate increases in two portions of your bill will result in an overall bill increase of approximately 53 cents per month for the typical residential member using 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month. The increases are the result of rate changes affecting two portions of your bill: the System Benefit Charge and the Delivery Service Charge. The System Benefit Charge funds statewide energy efficiency programs and is increasing by .018 cents per kWh. This increase is mandated by the State of New Hampshire, which sets the rate that is charged to all New Hampshire ratepayers served by the state’s four largest electric utilities. The Delivery Service Charge is increasing by .088 cents per kWh, from 3.876 cents to 3.964 cents per kWh. This increase allows NHEC to preserve full funding of our right-of-way clearing program, the goal of which is to improve the reliability of our distribution system by reducing outages. The total increase experienced by the typical residential member will be .106 cents, or about one-tenth of one cent per kWh. A residential member who uses 500 kWh per month will experience an increase of 53 cents/month or $6.36 per year.
Scam Alert! by NHEC | Oct 21, 2016 | Uncategorized Many scam artists are threatening members in person, over the phone and online with disconnection of their electric service if they don’t make an immediate payment. Scammers may also offer a bill credit or discounted rate if a member provides their account number or other information. Protect yourself! Guard your privacy and never provide any account or payment information! If the call seems suspicious, hang up and call us immediately at 800-698-2007. We also encourage you to report this to your local police department. Remember: NHEC representatives never make outbound calls demanding instant payment. NHEC representatives do not require the use of prepaid debit cards (such as Green Dot MoneyPak, Vanilla or Reloadit). NHEC representatives always carry company-issued photo identification and will always provide it when asked. Members who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice via the U.S. mail which includes the actions they can take to maintain service. If you’re not sure the person or caller is a NHEC employee, call us. Always verify whether these callers are legitimate by asking for some basic information about your account. Our representatives will always be able to provide the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance. Never immediately pay, regardless of what the caller knows about your account or offers as an incentive. If they are requesting an immediate payment using a third-party service, at another location or via a prepaid debit card, hang up immediately and contact us directly to verify your account status.
Super Sunday Ski Discounts! by NHEC | Oct 21, 2016 | Uncategorized Super Sunday Ski Discounts! Clip the coupon in your December or January newsletter for a coupon worth $20 off lift tickets to one of seven ski areas served by NHEC! Coupon is valid on Sunday, February 5, 2017 and is good for up to four people. Just present the coupon, or a recent copy of your Co-op bill, at the following locations and enjoy a day of skiing or riding for less: Attitash Black Mountain Cranmore Dartmouth Skiway King Pine Loon Waterville Valley