I write to register my strong objection to the Wilmot Select Board’s vote on June 12, 2024 to approve a resolution “to commit the Town of Wilmot to join Merrimack County Community Power to provide default supply service on an opt-out basis to retail electricity customers within the Town of Wilmot’s boundaries.” 

The effect of the Board’s decision is that Merrimack County Community Power (MCCP), a brand-new quasi-public entity, is now authorized to automatically switch every electric customer in the Town of Wilmot from their current electricity “supplier” (in about 97% of cases, NH Electric Co-Op) to the newly established MCCP, beginning October 1, 2024. 

A decision of this magnitude should have first been brought to the residents of the town at Town Meeting for thorough discussion and an advisory vote to proceed (or not). While the Board of Selectmen had the authority under state law (see RSA 53-E:6(I)),to act unilaterally, they were in no way required to do so. 

There was no urgency to take this action now other than to make a deadline for the MCCP’s upcoming October 2024 round of automatic, town-wide switchover.  There will be more rounds in the future, including one sometime in 2025 that would likely occur after March Town meeting. 

A wholesale move to “opt out” Community Power supply is unnecessary in Wilmot.  Per the four main points on a sign promoting Community Power posted in front of the Wilmot town offices:

• “Consumer Choice” – in Wilmot’s case, three people made the choice FOR our town’s 700+ electric customers/citizens.  The only choice now remaining for individual consumers is to undo the Select Board’s intervention in their electric bills by opting out.
 
• “Lower Rates”  — this is not true in any meaningful way.  Per the MCCP’s recent mailer to town residents, their default supply rate is 8.6 cents/KWh.  NH Electric Co-Op power currently costs 8.648 cents/kWh.  For a home consuming an average of 600 kWh a month, switching to MCCP power would save that customer 29 cents on their monthly bill. 

• “Local Control” – 97% of Wilmot residents are already members of the NH Electric Co-Op, which is a locally-based (Plymouth), non-profit, customer-owned electric utility that has been around since the 1940s. 

• “Clean Energy” – again, per the MCCP’s own mailer, the “Renewable Content” in MCCP’s Granite Basic power is the same (24.3%) as NH Electric Co-Op power.  MCCP offers greener options at a higher cost, and so does the NH Electric Co-Op.

In conclusion, for the 97% of Wilmot residents buying their power via the NH Electric Co-Op, the switch to MCCP-supplied power has NO meaningful financial or “green” benefit, and in my view the Select Board’s action reduced the individual consumer choice and control we previously enjoyed.

I encourage the Wilmot Select Board to investigate with the MCCP whether they could take additional action in the very near term to “pause” the October 1 switch-over until town residents can take up this matter at the March 2025 town meeting.

Chris Wells
Wilmot, NH