Community Power
Overview
Cheshire Community Power is a locally driven energy program that gives residents and businesses more choice and control over where their electricity comes from. Through Community Power, towns and counties work together to purchase electricity supply on behalf of their communities, creating opportunities for competitive pricing and increased access to renewable energy.
This program allows Cheshire County and participating towns to pool their buying power while keeping electricity delivery exactly the same as it is today.
How Community Power Works
Community Power separates electricity supply from electricity delivery.
Your existing utility company continues to:
✓ Deliver electricity to your home or business
✓ Maintain poles, wires, and infrastructure
✓ Respond to outages
✓ Send your electric bill
Community Power focuses on:
✓ Purchasing electricity supply on behalf of the community
✓ Offering competitive and stable pricing options
✓ Providing choices that include higher renewable energy content
✓ Giving communities a stronger voice in energy decisions
Nothing changes about how electricity gets to you. The difference is in who buys the power supply and the options available to you.
Cheshire Community Power Program
Cheshire County adopted a Community Power aggregation plan in 2022, and service began in the fall of 2023. Since that time, multiple towns in Cheshire County have voted to join the program, with additional communities able to participate through a vote of their local governing body.
Participation is open to both residents and businesses located in participating towns.
Your Choice as a Customer
Community Power is voluntary.
Customers in participating towns are automatically enrolled in the program, but:
✓ You can opt out at any time
✓ You can opt back in if you previously opted out
✓ You can choose from different energy supply options
Options include standard electricity supply as well as choices with higher renewable energy content for customers who want to support cleaner energy sources.
There are no long-term contracts or penalties for changing your selection.
Why Community Power Matters
Community Power helps local governments work together to:
✓ Strengthen local control over energy decisions
✓ Increase access to renewable energy options
✓ Potentially reduce energy supply costs through collective purchasing
✓ Provide clear, transparent choices for residents and businesses
Program Administration and Support
Cheshire Community Power is administered in partnership with the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire, a nonprofit organization that supports electricity procurement, program management, and customer service for participating communities.
Customers can manage their enrollment, review supply options, and ask questions through the program’s customer support resources using their utility account information.
Learn More or Get Started
If you live or operate a business in a participating Cheshire County town and would like to learn more about Community Power, explore your supply options, or manage your enrollment, additional information is available through the Cheshire Community Power program website.