From the Archives: The Founding of CPCNH

CPCNH Incorporates with Membership of 13 Municipalities and 1 County

Originally published: October 2021

From left to right: Steve Holmgren, Durham; Ned Hulbert, Harrisville; Andrea Hodson, Harrisville; Everett Hammond, Lebanon; Julie Gilman, Exeter; Peter Kulbacki, Hanover; Lori Wilshire, Nashua; Kim Quirk, Enfield; John Tabor, Portsmouth; Doria Brown, Nashua; Andrew Maneval, Harrisville; Don Kreis, Consumer Advocate; Matt Miller, Pembroke; Howard Kalet, Rye; Peggy Schirrer, Walpole; Clifton Below, Lebanon; Renay Allen, Exeter; Craig Putnam, Hudson; Evan Oxenham, Plainfield; Penti Aalto, Pembroke; Dori Drachman, Peterborough; Jo-Ellen Courtney, Enfield; Phillip Stephenson, Hollis; April Salas, Hanover; Sam Evans-Brown, Clean Energy NH; Mary Day Mordecai, Growing Edge Partners; George Packard, Warner; Henry Herndon, Consultant; Tad Montgomery, Lebanon; Samuel Golding, Community Choice Partners; Lew Hitzrot, Exeter.

A New Era of Local Energy Choice Begins in New Hampshire

Concord, NH – October 1, 2021 — Do you know where your power comes from? If you live in select municipalities in New Hampshire, soon you will be able to have more control over the source of your electricity.

On this day in history, thirteen municipalities and one county joined together to incorporate the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH). This groundbreaking formation marked the beginning of a new kind of nonprofit, a Joint Powers Agency dedicated to supporting cities and towns in launching Community Power programs.

These programs, made possible by amendments to RSA 53-E enacted in 2019, enable municipalities to aggregate and sell electricity on a community-wide scale — giving communities a seat at the energy table.

“This is the most exciting thing to happen to the electricity sector in New Hampshire in decades,” said Don Kreis, New Hampshire’s Consumer Advocate. “If you are fortunate enough to live in a Community Power municipality, your municipality is going to be intimately involved in delivering to you not just cheaper electricity, but a whole menu possibly of energy initiatives that will deliver concrete benefits to you, that it will make you a more empowered and flexible consumer of the electricity grid and of energy generally.”

Meet the Founding Members

The founding members included the cities of Lebanon, Nashua, and Dover; towns of Hanover, Harrisville, Exeter, Rye, Warner, Walpole, Plainfield, Newmarket, Enfield, and Durham; and Cheshire County. Each member community appointed Directors and Alternates to serve on CPCNH’s inaugural Board of Directors.

At the Coalition’s first board meeting:

• April Salas (Hanover) was elected Chair

• Clifton Below (Lebanon), Vice-Chair

• Evan Oxenham (Plainfield), Secretary

• Nick Devonshire (Exeter), Treasurer

• Doria Brown (Nashua) was appointed to the Executive Committee

These early leaders helped chart the course for what has become one of the most impactful municipal collaborations in the state.

“A lot of work has occurred over the past two years to get us to this point, and I’m thrilled that we are kicking off the Coalition with such a robust and diverse membership,” said Hanover Sustainability Director April Salas. “This new institution is going to have a real impact in empowering our cities and towns to really lead on energy issues.”

A Vision for Community Power

“Community Power Aggregation is a deliberate double entendre,” said Clifton Below, Assistant Mayor of Lebanon and primary author of the enabling legislation. “We will be providing electric power in aggregate to our communities, with the goal of lowering costs and expanding access to renewable energy and other innovations. But the Coalition also aggregates the political power of communities so their interests may be better represented in state policy decisions that impact energy.”

At launch, the Coalition’s 13 city and town members represented more than 210,000 residents, or roughly 15% of New Hampshire’s population, with the potential to serve an electric load larger than Liberty Utilities and comparable to Unitil and New Hampshire Electric Co-op.

Growing a Movement

Coalition membership remains open to all New Hampshire cities, towns, counties, and regionally operated Community Power programs. CPCNH operates transparently under the Right to Know Law, and all official meetings are open to the public.

“It is finally here” was a resonant sentiment heard often throughout the day. Consultants Samuel Golding and Henry Herndon have been working with these fourteen municipalities, among others, over the last year and a half to help form and launch the Coalition.

The inaugural board meeting and incorporation were followed by a luncheon, where the long-term supporters were recognized for their trailblazing work. Closing remarks were given by Lebanon Assistant Mayor Clifton Below, who was elected Vice-Chair of the Coalition.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

This foundational moment in October 2021 set the stage for everything CPCNH has since accomplished. From initial incorporators to statewide energy leaders, our journey continues to grow thanks to the visionary support of these founding members.