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CPCNH is reshaping electricity supply in New Hampshire. If your town is on Community Power, it affects your solar economics — but probably not in the way you think. Here is the complete analysis.
Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire is a municipal aggregation program. Towns vote to buy electricity supply collectively at competitive rates, rather than using their utility default supply.
Over 50 towns and cities have enrolled, covering 40%+ of NH electricity customers. It is the fastest-growing community power program in New England.
Towns that vote at town meeting to join CPCNH. All customers in participating towns are automatically enrolled but can opt out. It covers Eversource, Liberty, and Unitil territories.
No. Your utility (Eversource, Liberty, Unitil) still delivers power, handles billing, and manages the grid. CPCNH only replaces the supply component — where your electricity comes from.
Four ways Community Power interacts with solar economics. The bottom line: the impacts are small and often cancel each other out.
Your NEM 2.0 credit formula includes 100% of the supply component. If CPCNH supply rate is lower than your utility default supply rate, your NEM credit per kWh exported may be slightly lower.
If Eversource default supply is $0.10/kWh and CPCNH supply is $0.08/kWh, your NEM credit supply component drops by $0.02/kWh. On 3,000 kWh exported per year, that is ~$60 less in annual credits.
Magnitude: Small — typically $40-$80/year difference
When you use solar power directly (self-consumption), you avoid paying for both supply AND delivery. If CPCNH lowers your supply rate, the value of self-consumed solar decreases slightly.
If total rate drops from $0.27/kWh to $0.25/kWh on CPCNH, each kWh you self-consume saves $0.25 instead of $0.27. On 6,500 kWh self-consumed, that is ~$130 less in annual savings.
Magnitude: Small-to-moderate — depends on CPCNH rate discount
CPCNH typically offers supply rates 5-15% below your utility default. For the portion of electricity you still buy from the grid (especially in winter), this reduces your bill.
If you still buy 4,000 kWh/year from the grid and CPCNH saves $0.02/kWh, you save $80/year on grid electricity.
Magnitude: Moderate — $50-$150/year on grid purchases
Many CPCNH supply plans offer 100% renewable electricity — which means the grid power you do buy (when solar is not producing) is cleaner. Some plans even offer local renewable sourcing.
Standard utility default supply is typically 20-25% renewable. CPCNH may offer 50-100% renewable at similar or lower cost.
Magnitude: Significant environmental benefit
For a typical 8 kW system on an Eversource customer in a CPCNH town: NEM credits may decrease by ~$60/year, but grid purchase savings increase by ~$100/year. Net result: CPCNH customers come out ahead by ~$40/year while also getting cleaner grid electricity. The difference is not life-changing either way.
Important: You can switch between CPCNH and utility default supply at any time with no penalty. This is not a binding contract. If you go solar and later decide CPCNH is reducing your NEM credits more than expected, switch back. Or vice versa. NuWatt can model both scenarios for your specific situation.
CPCNH Impact: Minimal. Most solar is self-consumed at full retail. Only ~20% exported. NEM credit reduction is small.
Recommendation: Stay on CPCNH. Bill savings on grid purchases > NEM credit reduction.
Stay on CPCNHCPCNH Impact: Moderate. ~30% of solar is exported. NEM credit reduction of ~$40-$80/year. Grid purchase savings of ~$80-$150/year.
Recommendation: Likely stay on CPCNH. Grid savings typically outweigh NEM credit reduction.
Stay on CPCNHCPCNH Impact: More significant. 40%+ of solar exported. NEM credit reduction could be $100-$150/year.
Recommendation: Run the numbers both ways. Switching to default may make sense if export volume is high.
Analyze BothCPCNH Impact: Minimal. Battery stores excess daytime solar for evening use, reducing exports. Self-consumption could reach 80-90%.
Recommendation: Stay on CPCNH. With a battery, you export very little — NEM credit impact is negligible.
Stay on CPCNHOver 50 towns have enrolled. This list includes major communities — check cpcnh.org for the complete current roster.
Nashua, Hudson, Merrimack, Milford, Wilton, Hollis
Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, Hampton, Durham, Newmarket, Lee
Manchester (evaluating), Goffstown, Weare
Concord, Franklin, Laconia (evaluating), Pittsfield
Hanover, Lebanon, Enfield, Plainfield
Keene, Peterborough, Swanzey, Harrisville
List is representative, not exhaustive. New towns join each year. Towns marked "evaluating" are in the process of voting.
Credit = $0.10 supply + $0.04 transmission + $0.02 distribution (25% of $0.08)
= ~$0.16/kWh
Credit = $0.08 supply + $0.04 transmission + $0.02 distribution (25% of $0.08)
= ~$0.14/kWh
Note: Numbers are illustrative. Actual rates vary by utility, time period, and CPCNH plan. The key point is that only the supply component changes — transmission and distribution stay the same.
The federal 25D ITC ($0) and NH state rebate (repealed by SB 303) are gone for ALL NH homeowners — whether on CPCNH or utility default supply. CPCNH does not change federal or state incentive eligibility.
NuWatt models both CPCNH and utility default supply scenarios for your specific address. We know which NH towns are on Community Power and adjust your NEM 2.0 credit projections accordingly.