City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Mayor's Blue Ribbon Energy Advisory Committee, 9 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: 2.9.2023 Portsmouth Community Power Public Hearing

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2.9.2023 Portsmouth Community Power Public Hearing

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Good evening this is the february 9th 2023 meeting of the portsmouth energy advisory committee.

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And we're here tonight to have a public hearing on the energy aggregation plan which we've created.

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Just a little bit of explanation.

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A little bit of context, I think we all feel like we pay too much for electricity and and.

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It's too dirty in terms of fossil fuels, and this committee was formed to work on how we.

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Could use rsa 53e to benefit the residents and businesses of the city? An rsa 53e allows.

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Cities and towns to aggregate the demand of their customers, electric customers and go to the energy.

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Markets and purchase electric supply, the delivery is still done by your utility, but the supply.

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Portion of your bill is what this community power article can do accomplish and [music] in our first.

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Six months we did an extensive study of, should we just go to a utility broker, an electricity broker.

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And allow and use our our combined aggregated demand to get good rates, or should we join the.

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Community power coalition of new hampshire, which is in itself going to be a basically a co-op.

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Run by cities and towns, four cities and towns on a non-profit basis to aggregate lots of towns.

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Energy supply and take advantage of community power and we decided to go that route. The.

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Coalition now has 27 members and more than 125 000 residents will be represented by it.

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um And we felt that this would give the best long-term value for customers of the.

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City, it's more flexible. Customers don't have as many onerous contracts which anybody who's.

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Tried to buy their own electricity knows can be very tricky and very constrictive, and.

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It offers some advantages for the long term to be able to use build up reserves.

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From the sale of electricity to reinvest in solar projects, wind projects, hydro projects.

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Around the state- and that was exciting to us so tonight we're going to start off with.

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An explanation of community power and a presentation, and then we sent a survey out.

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On cards to everybody in the city and we've had hundreds and hundreds of responses more.

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Than 400 responses to that so we'll share uh what people would like to see in the community power.

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Program that would we would create and then we're going to hear we're going to start the.

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Public hearing and everyone will have a chance to speak to for or against and we'll use that.

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Input in our energy aggregation plan, so um first up we have henry herndon, who is from the community.

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Power coalition of new hampshire and he's going to go over with you how the community power works.

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What the benefits are and how it would appear on your utility bill. Henry thank you for joining us.

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Again, of course, drive the mic close. Please how's this, so my name is henry herndon. I'm a consultant.

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Here, on behalf of community power coalition in new hampshire and I'll I'll, be going through an.

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Overview of community power and the portsmouth community power electric aggregation plan.

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uh Before I dive into any of that, I just want to note this is we're in the midst of a really.

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Exciting period for portsmouth and an additional 27 cities, towns and counties across the state who.

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Have been working together to get this market off the ground for past several years, really.

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um And that's all coming to fruition in in the coming weeks and months. So the.

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The first 8 9 10 communities are going to go, live with their programs. This coming spring.

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And um portsmouth is, is a very fast follower in that group and and it positioned to if it would.

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Choose to do so launch a program to immediately start delivering rate relief and rate savings for.

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Customers as soon as potentially june of this year, um so uh with that we'll sort of get into.

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The the nuts and bolts of what community power is how it works, uh how the process has gone and what.

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Portsmouth's plan is for implementation and just really like broad brush strokes that I think I'll.

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Just reiterate a little bit about a little bit of what councilor tabor has described, but these.

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Programs are about about leveraging an economy of scale to result in more affordable electricity for.

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Residents and businesses throughout the city and also create more choices for renewable.

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Energy and sourcing power locally or from cleaner sources uh within the city or within the state.

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So overview of the agenda, we'll do what is community power, we'll talk.

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About the plan we'll talk about the statewide coalition, this new.

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Non-Profit power agency, that portsmouth is a member of and a strong leader in.

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That is working on a statewide basis to help these programs get off the ground.

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And um really really positioned to to transform the new hampshire electricity market in a lot of.

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Positive ways we'll talk about the timeline and we'll do q, a and and move into public hearing.

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So I've describe some of this, but I will just call attention to the relevant rsa. That's rsa.

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53E relative to the aggregation of electric customers by municipalities and counties. This.

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Is a law that has been on the book since 1996, but really what wasn't effective until it was amended.

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And adjusted in both 2019 and in 2021- and this is a bipartisan policy supported by democrats.

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Republicans both of the positive bills that that sort of improve the statute and made it usable the.

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First was passed by a democrat or controlled house and senate inside by governor sununu.

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And then the second was passed by a republican house and senate and signed by governor sununu.

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So these these programs they're market based they're about local control, uh they're about.

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Really giving season towns the ability to to chart these programs for themselves and.

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um In in that rsa there's just one a couple pieces I'll call attention to. One is uh really this.

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Focus on encouraging voluntary, cost-effective and innovative solutions to local needs with.

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Careful consideration of local conditions and opportunities, so it's really about giving the.

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Municipality and the community the tools to uh really take control of its own energy decisions.

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And for this slide we can just sort of open up all the the.

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Pieces, yes, so I'll use a term um really what what community power does is it enables the.

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City of portsmouth to become the default electricity supplier or provider, there's.

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Three pieces to this there's the economy of scale, which we've discussed where, if.

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You pull together the buying power of the residents and businesses across the city.

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You get that economy of scale and that can result in lower costs. Importantly, the utility.

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Company will continue to own and operate the grid. Deliver that electricity be responsible.

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For reliability and outages and really is a key partner to fort smith, community power.

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And then a third piece here is the the benefits that this can afford: customers so uh lower rates.

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Both through the economy of scale, but also through a less regulated and more market based approach to.

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Procurement, which I'll talk about a little later and then other options so there's you know, there's.

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A default rate that will be cheaper for all electric customers, but any individual customer.

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Will have greater access to choice, they could choose a 50 or 100 renewable energy product and.

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Then, over time we see more mature markets develop further offerings. These could be things like.

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Leveraging the use of energy storage to shift load away from peak time usage and lower costs.

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That way, a lot of cities and towns to contract directly with developers to build new generators.

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New solar storage locally in the state to then provide power to portsmouth's portfolio.

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The fort smith, community power portfolio and other sort of longer term potential benefits.

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And I've talked through some of these already so I'll be brief here, but.

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um You know, obviously, the local control we've seen other states have lower costs. Some communities are.

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Motivated by removable energy- and I understand there are some policies and resolutions in the.

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City of portsmouth to that effect, and some of those innovative developments that can be enabled.

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Through community power, importantly portsmouth's plan states that the program will only launch.

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If it is unable to able to initially offer residential default rates that are lower than.

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Or competitive with those offered by eversource, so there's a built-in protection where this program.

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Won't go live unless the raid is attractive and going to save customers money from day. One.

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So what does this? What does this look like for an individual customer on your electric bill? There's.

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Really two components: there's the energy supply. This is a competitive market uh where customers.

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Today have a choice: they can shop for their energy supply on the open market and then the.

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Other half is the delivery, that's the pulls and wires. That's eversource! That's your monopoly.

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Grid operator, you don't really have choice there, we're only talking about the energy supply portion.

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Of the bill here, that's the only piece that will change and if we go to the next slide.

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This is the second page of an eversource build and really again just highlighting that from the.

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Customer perspective, what will change is, instead of eversource being the default electricity.

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Supplier now portsmouth community power will be able to choose where that power comes from.

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Shop for that power and be listed on the bill in some fashion to to make that clear to customers.

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So I'm going to reiterate a little bit here, but eversource still owns the grid.

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um And is compensated for that. There's! No real financial impact to the utility because they are.

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um They have divested of their generation, they no longer own.

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Any any power plants, uh so that's not a component of their revenue stream.

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um So the utility is financially indifferent and they continue to own and operate the grid.

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If this plan is adopted, when this plan is adopted by the city council, it doesn't require any action.

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But it gives the city council the authority to contract for services and those could be with a.

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Private broker that could be through the non-profit community power coalition of.

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Which portsmouth is a key leader in creating and then that provider could.

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Procure power and operate the program on behalf of the city.

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Another important point is that any individual customer from from the customer perspective this.

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Is a completely voluntary program? No one has to participate. Anyone could choose to leave at any.

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Time with no penalty and and we'll get into sort of the enrollment process on on another slide,.

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If I can just add henry this that flexibility to opt out at any time.

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Was a significant difference between cpcnh and the broker programs, when we did the research.

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So the plan this rsa that I referred to- requires that every municipality form a committee and task.

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That committee, with developing a plan and incorporating public input into that plan,.

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We're at the second of two public hearings that are required by law- and this is the committee of.

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The portsmouth energy advisory committee that has been responsible and working very hard.

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Over the past year, perhaps two years to understand community power and connect with other communities.

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From across the state research best practices and and develop, this plan to where we are at present.

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Plan lays out the goals and objectives you know lower.

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Rates more choice, expanded options for customers, customer protections.

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And it summarizes the process for moving forward and establishes governance authority. So you know.

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Ensuring that the city council is responsible for the overall oversight of the program, but you know.

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Professional experts would be enlisted embedded to actually manage procurement on your behalf.

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uh There's some legal requirements. um You know, there's certain environmental standards that you.

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Have to meet some certain state laws and you have to address how certain groups of customers are or.

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Are not um addressed so just for example, the plan addresses net metering customers and provides.

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For how they could or could participate or not participate in the program and the plan ensures.

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That electric assistance program participants- these are income qualified folks who receive.

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A discount on their electricity rate, it ensures that they will continue to receive those discounts.

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What the plan doesn't do is it doesn't commit the city to any action.

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um And it does not impose any financial commitment or liability, so under the law.

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These programs cannot be funded by taxpayer funds. In any sense, the funding for the programs comes.

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From the sale of electricity and through that electricity supply rate pays for any.

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Operational cost of the program so fully shielded and separate from taxpayer fund.

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And this slide just lays out the chapters. I certainly encourage any.

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Members of the public to read the plan, it's very uh educational, informative and.

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um Part of what community power it really strives to achieve is to demystify the power sector.

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There's a lot of complexity behind the scenes and what we're seeing across the state is cities and.

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Towns, sort of uh lifting up the hood on how does this all work and educate themselves, so they can.

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Make informed decisions and can have be making better choices on behalf of their communities.

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This is a bit of a summary slide, so I mentioned this term default electricity supplier.

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So what that means is rick right now, eversource, the investor on utility is.

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The default supplier- anyone can choose another option, but the fallback is is.

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Eversource portsmouth community power would replace eversource as that default.

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On an opt out basis, so a customer could choose to opt out of the program. The program.

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Will also allow customers to opt up to various things, such as more renewable energy for their.

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Energy supply, or over time things like time of use rates where, if you're using your electricity.

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um And the off-peak hours it's actually it's less expensive and, and you can see that in the rates.

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You pay and be incentivized not to consume energy, yet at high cost peak period times gets a little.

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Wonky- um and I mentioned the self-funded nature of these programs- again- no taxpayer funds and.

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um I mentioned that when the plan is adopted, it authorizes the city council to contract.

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For services and then this committee would provide advisory support to that process.

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So enrollment this is an important slide for for folks to understand.

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If and when uh the city council decides to launch portsmouth community power, they go into.

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The market they see that the price is right, they see they can save customers money, they initiate.

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The program what will occur is 30 days before launch all customers and all electric accounts.

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In the city of portsmouth will received a mailed notification, say welcome to portsmouth community.

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Power: here's your new electricity supply rate, here's the back compared to the other source rate.

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If you would choose to opt out, go to this website click the button you'll stay with ever source.

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Or you could choose another provider and those would all be sent 30 days before the enrollment.

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For those customers that already shop, there are some customers that buy power from competitive.

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Electric suppliers on the market, they would receive that notification, but they would not be.

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Affected in any way, unless they chose to go to the website and click the enroll button and and join.

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Portsmouth community power and those customers would want to understand, do they have an exit.

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Fee from whatever broker supplier contract they might be in and those kinds of details.

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And similarly, if new customers are coming online, they would receive similar notices and be enrolled.

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Into this program, as it is the new default electricity supply and just to reiterate, you.

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Know because this is either voluntary, customers can exit the program just by going to the website.

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Opting out and at the next sort of meter read date the next time they, the next monthly billing period.

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They would be disenrolled from that program or just one. Other scenario is if a customer were to.

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Opt out at enrollment, they can subsequently opt back into the program at a future point as well.

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That's correct: that's not a one and a one-time decision right. You can opt out but opt back in.

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In the future, so there's just one more option for the customers and they have sort of full.

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Switching flexibility they can go in and off on and off the program as they would choose.

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To all the questions to the end.

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uh Yeah, you might just say that for kids are we are we, okay with holding questions to the end. Okay,.

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I just want to make a clarification there that you can switch back and forth, but it's.

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On a monthly basis, that's yeah, it's a good point. So it's on, uh but on a monthly basis.

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On your billing cycle basis, or your meter read basis, huh can I just underscore one thing that.

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You said henry- and this is about when we're talking about the vestature of the utilities.

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Of their own generation, people should be clear about this because, during the energy crisis boom.

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A lot of people had the impression that our utilities were gouging us because they were.

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Charging too much for electricity and in fact our electric utilities in this state right now.

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At least in new hampshire are not making profit on delivering electricity to us. They're making profit.

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On the delivery charges, but not on the supply correct, the supply is something they get like.

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Every other utility from new england marketplace at whatever lowest price they can get right and.

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They're not making money on that right. Okay, that's correct! That's accurate and you know we all saw.

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Our electricity rates double or more over the past several months and um yeah. That's not that's not.

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Ever source's fault, that's uh that's! Just the market. Responding to you know international.

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Fossil fuel prices and largely driven by you know international crisis war in ukraine.

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um So eversource is not sort of arbitrarily raising those electricity rates for the supply.

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um This this slide is depicting the choices that customers would have available to them.

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So the city of portsmouth could decide uh if they were to go with the coalition sort of one of two.

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Default options there is granite basic, which has the minimum renewable energy content allowed under.

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State law- that's 23 percent this year and the city of portsmouth could say we want that to be.

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The default that all customers receive, there's also granite, plus, that is a 10, more renewable.

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Energy, so a greener product option and the city council could choose to have that be the default.

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And we'll have rates set on those the coalition will have rates set on those likely within a month.

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um So those will all be posted and publicly available for review.

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Then there's two optional products: there's the clean, 50 and clean 100 50 renewable 100, renewable.

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So any customer could choose to invest in greener power if they would choose to do so.

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And then, over time, this menu can grow, so um what some communities are particularly excited about is.

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The possibility of uh sourcing some of their power from new clean generators in the state developing.

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Projects locally there are, there are benefits, so there are cost benefits to that, particularly if.

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If those resources can um produce power at high cost times and avoid some of the wholesale costs.

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Avoid things like interstate transmission costs and capacity costs, so there are opportunities to.

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Develop local energy projects over time that our cost reducers and to blend that into the.

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Fort smith, community power mix- this is sort of a longer term aspiration, but something that is.

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A motivator for a number of communities and henry just won the is the granite basic with the minimum.

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Renewable portfolio standard, that's the one that would compare to eversource, so the eversource and.

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The other utilities in the state, their default rate, is always the minimum rps standard right.

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That's right and on a cost basis, the granite basic at launch will be cheaper than eversource and then.

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This is tb to be determined, but we it's it's quite possible that that second product granite plus.

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Would have more renewable content and be cheaper than the eversource rate it'll be more expensive.

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Than the granite basic, but that's so that's sort of a policy decision for different communities.

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So the coalition this is the uh non-profit power agency created or incorporated on october, 1st of 2021. So a bit more.

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Than a year ago- and it was first incorporated with 14 cities and towns and since then it's doubled.

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In size there are 28 cities, towns and counties that are members of this non-profit organization.

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And it is it's governed by its members, so it was created by cities and towns.

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Each city is in town as appointed a representative to its board of directors.

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Kevin charette and councilor: uh no sorry, not council, tabor um peter peter rice sit on the.

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Board of directors representing the city of portsmouth kevin is actually the vice chair.

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Of the board- and so it's fully governed in in all the oversight is done by the member.

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Communities they make all the decisions about its budget, its solicitations its.

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Hiring of expert vendors, all of the vetting, and importantly they also oversee it. The the.

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Reserve fund and the cash flow, so this collection of communities there's an obvious economy of scale.

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At full enrollment, these communities would represent 125 000, electric customers. That's.

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A significant volume of electricity sales and the revenue from the sale of that electricity across.

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All these communities through the coalition, those revenues are controlled by the member cities and.

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Towns so, rather than the sort of quote-unquote profit flowing to a private supplier on the.

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Other end of the deal now, the communities in new hampshire have created their own supplier.

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And they can accrue those revenues that net profit into reserves. That has multiple benefits.

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First and foremost, that's keeping rates low over time sort of a rainy day fund for your electricity.

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Rates if the market changes but over time, there's also the ability to reinvest into the communities.

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Read us into local economic development project development, energy projects that are directly.

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Benefiting the communities um and henry you're having conversations with many more communities.

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And we're having conversations with many more communities, so there's sort of there's this 28.

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And then there are the several dozen additional cities and towns that have expressed interest.

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They're, beginning to form committees they're, looking at this, so there's significant growth.

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Potential for the coalition's membership and really the group could quickly become the largest.

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Electricity supplier in the state larger than the utilities well at right present, it's larger.

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Than units hill and liberty at full enrollment but could surpass ever source in a few years.

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Again, only for energy supply not for owning poles and wires, so yeah we're in the launch.

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Period right now, so there are nine cities and towns that have authorized launch this spring.

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Including exeter and rye, your neighbors and then a few in the upper valley, a few in the southwest. I.

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Believe the city of nashua is scheduled to vote on, launch authorizations. This coming tuesday.

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um So that that group is targeting april as enrolling customers and bringing them on to.

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That new lower supply rate and and starting to accrue the reserves from the sale of electricity.

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This slide is probably hard to read, but this is just illustrating the governance.

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For communities by communities listing the 27 directors and alternates, these are the local.

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Officials, staff industry veterans that have been appointed to serve on the board of directors in.

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A volunteer capacity and um there's a there's, a real breadth and depth of expertise, kevin.

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Worked for eversource for for his career and and has brought a real depth of expertise to.

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The board from that perspective- and there are many other um highly qualified and experienced.

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Individuals that are contributing from across the state to make this happen.

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And you know so: governance on the one side operations on the other side. These are the.

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Technical experts that have been hired through a competitive solicitation process to procure.

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Power to enroll customers to manage all the customer service uh and all of the the back.

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End operational pieces that are required so I'll just talk about a few of them.

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Ascend analytics is going to manage procurement and really do the portfolio risk management on.

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Behalf of the coalition they're, the entity that will monitor the market day-to-day week to week.

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Month to month and then manage the portfolio of energy supply that the coalition contracts for.

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Calpine energy solutions and really both of these two firms have.

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Real deep experience uh running these agencies in other states and they they were selected.

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From a really solid pool of a number of of really qualified respondents to the solicitation process,.

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But calpine they'll do all of the customer data management, customer service, customer enrollments.

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um And and also serve as the load serving entity they'll sit in the wholesale market. On behalf of.

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The coalition there's a local non-profit, clean energy, new hampshire, that's providing community.

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Engagement support a couple of law firms, a couple of startup consultants, including myself and river.

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City bank is providing financial and banking services and and will um maintain the the account.

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um Through which revenue flows on behalf of the coalition, just on that henry folks may river city.

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Bank might be a foreign entity for most of us, but they're they're based in california, where.

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There's 25 community power, aggregation programs similar to new hampshire and they've, been the.

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uh The bank, the financial institution that has supported upwards of 25 cpas in in california so.

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They're they're very experienced in the space I'll also just note, there's a a ceo search committee.

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And a firm that has that is running through a process of identifying candidates, vetting.

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Them and bringing them in for interviews to onboard as the ceo of the coalition kevin's.

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Also involved in that, along with a number of other things, so that's that's very exciting.

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This is sort of a conceptual slide um just to to illustrate some of what I've already discussed a.

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Little bit, but on the left pie chart you can see the the breakdown illustrative.

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Of the eversource delivery charges in gray and then the the supply charge in.

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Blue, that's what portsmouth community power would purchase for energy supply.

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On the right hand, side looking at this bar chart, this is an illustration of the.

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How that revenue is allocated, how that, in this example, that 10 cents per kilowatt hour.

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For energy supply would be spent, obviously in the market right now, we're looking at 22 cents.

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A kilowatt hour, so this is just a an educational slide here, it's not meant to be exactly what the.

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Market prices are point is, if you look at this slide in the bar chart, the blue portion here.

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Represents what you pay for energy supply, whether you're paying eversource, whether you're paying a.

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Competitive supplier, whether you're paying for community power, the vast majority of that supply.

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Rate flows to the cost of generating electricity. There's a gray portion above the blue that.

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Represents the overhead or the financing costs of whoever's selling you that power again, whether.

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It's a competitive supplier, eversources supplier community power program. There is an overhead cost.

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And then this green bar represents that reserve fund. So if you were purchasing from a private.

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Entity that would be there 8 15 12 15 uh mark up their profit margin on top.

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Through the coalition, this green bar is representing the reserves that are captured.

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By the communities and held on their behalf in reserve funds, so that if the market rises in the.

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Future you can lean on those reserves, keep rates low or or leverage to finance some of those local.

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Projects for sort of long longer term benefits, and I guess I'll leave it at that for this slide.

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This is illustrating the different pieces, the different actors and in green. We have.

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Portsmouth community power: this committee has developed a plan uh they will, after.

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This hearing they will send that plan to the public utility commission to.

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Stay regulator for review and approval and the state has 60 days to review that plan.

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And the city council will it does a number of things they've appointed the directors to the.

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Cpcnh board and they will consider adoption of this plan and have general oversight authority.

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Down on the bottom, this blue is representing the coalition. These are the the coalition of 27 cities.

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Towns and counties, including portsmouth board and committees of these volunteers and then the expert.

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Staff that and vendors that I previously described so the coalition will purchase electricity. The iso.

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New england marketplace eversource will deliver that power over its lines to the.

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Residents of the city of portsmouth and and the coalition is really the comprehensive service.

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Provider, that is behind the scenes managing what's required to deliver that electricity.

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As far as timeline, this committee's been hard at work for, for some time, research and plan.

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Drafting and development we're in the public hearing phase and then the plan will be in step.

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Three brought to city council for adoption and also sent to the state for review and approval.

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After that adoption and that approval portsmouth will be authorized to contract.

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With service providers and then issued notifications and and launch the program.

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And I believe that's the end of the material so back to you counselor great.

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I think henry that was a great summary of the benefits and what we can expect. I would add that.

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Next, this coming monday, the 13th uh henry will be back and we're going to brief the city council.

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In a work session so that we can have a vote on february 21st at the regular city council.

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Meeting whether or not to adopt the energy aggregation plan, so there will be a chance.

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For public comment, if anyone's watching at home at the session on monday and that'll be a more.

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Detailed presentation uh go more into depth on governance, financial structure, cash flows.

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And uh and and the rollout, so we hope to inform the council and get them comfortable with all.

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Of the moving parts, um next we sent out a survey to every resident and small business in the city.

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And we've had really gratifying response to that. Hundreds and hundreds of people.

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And allison tanner, who is member of the energy advisory committee, will summarize what you as.

A

Residents have told us you'd like to see in the portsmouth community power program.

E

This is really just a high level overview and the first couple of questions in the last couple.

E

Of questions were multiple choice and so I'll cover those in the beginning. And then we have.

E

Questions where there was a rating scale and I'll talk about that a little bit, but um first slide.

D

Pull your mic a little forward, okay, so the first number listed on the right is the actual number.

E

Of people, and then the second number on the right is the percentage of the whole that that.

E

Group forms, and so portsmouth homeowners were by and large, the largest percentage of people.

E

Replying on the survey at uh 85.2 percent, then there were 11.7 percent were tenants.

E

um 0.7 percent were landlords, 0.5 percent were businesses and then other and other was people.

E

That are both a landlord and a homeowner or a you know. Some some combination of of the above.

E

So again, when you look at, who is your electricity supplier eversource by and large, was the uh the.

E

Main energy provider with 78.5 percent. However, there was a a good portion of people who are.

E

Getting their power from a third party supplier, and that was 21 and then uh two people didn't know.

E

So then we we wanted to examine that a little bit more closely.

E

um And we asked if your answer to question one was eversourced: why did you make that choice.

E

And um it was uh most people didn't know they had an option that was 39.9 percent.

E

uh 49 people said I have no reason to look for a different supplier.

E

6.7 percent said I tried to switch but couldn't find supplier with better rates. Then we had other.

E

And in that category um there were things like laziness, lack of trust, third party rates, higher.

E

At the time or I didn't know how to change and then the not applicable bit, there is the same.

E

Group of people that didn't have energy provided by eversource, they went to a third party supplier.

E

So, which option would be most important to you in the portsmouth community power program.

E

So um this is interesting because if you look at lowest energy cost option, that was 33.2 percent.

E

Of the people, but going down to the fourth bar the same or lower cost with more renewable energy.

E

Content than I have today was 37 percent of the people. The others were 50 renewable with 6.4.

E

Percent 100 renewable that may or may not cost more 18.9, almost 20 percent um and then in the.

E

Other category uh reliability was the thing that people were saying was one of the most important.

E

Things to them, and that was 4.1 percent of the people and again two people didn't know.

E

So now, in this part of the the survey, what we did was we had a ranking and so.

E

Zero was the least important and 10 was the most important the highest priority for you.

E

E

Energy efficiency and reduced costs came out to 8.7 the average of all those different ratings.

E

And right at the same level was control of energy costs. That again was also 8.7 and then.

E

Lastly, we asked increased renewable energy sources, including locally generated. How important is that.

E

To you, it seems like it's important to a lot of people, because that was 7.5 in the rating scale.

E

And that's all I have.

A

So allison one question: we did allow for comments in the survey.

A

And a number of people said, I tried a third party supplier, but my rates ended up higher.

A

Over time- or it was really hard for me to figure out how to get a third party supplier right.

A

um Henry, maybe you could comment for those residents of portsmouth who who.

A

Shared that experience, how would it be different with the coalition.

B

Customers who are on the eversource default need take no action to get the benefits of.

B

Portsmouth community power so they'd be notified. There's already been some great outreach to raise.

B

Awareness for this and these public hearings are part of that, and then every customer would receive.

B

That notification and wouldn't have to take any action to start benefiting from the lower rate. So.

B

Part of the the thinking and the the philosophy behind these programs is, you know it is. It can.

B

Be difficult for individual customers to shop in the market. Sometimes there are, uh you know not.

B

Always but sometimes there are um uh business practices where predatory business practices.

B

I guess you could say, uh were teaser rates and and and things like that, uh so community power.

B

Is an opportunity to enhance consumer protection where you have better oversight of these programs.

B

um So they're more accessible to customers and I would just add, counselor there's there will be a.

C

um There's the department of energy shopping website in the state that today has the utilities.

C

As well as the other competitive suppliers and the coalitions rate will be presented on.

C

That shopping website too so downstream, if somebody's with a competitive supplier and.

C

They say, oh, I wonder what the rate is at the coalition. They can go to the website um same.

C

Thing if they stick with eversource and downstream are interested they can go to the website. So the.

C

Cpc and h rate will be included with the other options for all the residents in the state. Great.

A

uh Yeah, look I mean I, I just had a question for henry or not a question so much as if you could.

F

Give us a little more explanation of what the portfolio management is and maybe not.

F

Everybody's familiar what why that's important and how it's done and why it benefits the coalition.

B

Yeah, thank you. It is important, um so eversource and the other investor owned utilities have to.

B

Go to market a fixed times twice a year, every six months they go into the market and they buy power.

B

For six months, that's on a regulated clock and schedule, and that is, I guess you could say not.

B

Not the most sophisticated way to buy power. These are competitive markets, prices, change.

B

On a you know, minute to minute basis, um let alone week to week, month to month, uh seasonally.

B

So the utilities, because they're regulated, can't take advantage of changes in the market.

B

Competitive suppliers entities like the new hampshire electric co-op community.

B

Power coalition of new hampshire, they can actively manage portfolio, so they.

B

Can choose when they go into the market? They can have some supply contracts for.

B

Short-Term or medium term or longer term, and by actively managing a portfolio, they.

B

Demonstrate lower costs than the regulated utility approach, so there's the sort of six month utility.

B

Going to the market and that consistently has higher regulated costs relative to competitive.

B

Entities like the coalition, I hope that helps answer the question. Yes, thanks.

A

So uh henry what our experience be similar to the new hampshire co-op.

A

I mentioned that because it's non-profit, it uses something of a portfolio model and whenever.

A

Sources: prices, spiked up to 22 cents, the co-op being a non-profit with a portfolio, was running.

A

At 17 or 16 percent since uh considerably lower that's right, so I think the coalition is expecting.

B

Somewhat comparable rates to the new hampshire electric cloud, not necessarily being able to beat.

B

Them even um but the co-op does consistently beat the ever source rate and the coalition expects to.

B

Have comparable rates to the co-op? Thank you any other questions. Before we go to the public hearing.

A

um Normally no but um we're a small group. I think I think.

G

um I also appreciate all the efforts of it.

G

For the people, yeah look at harry at home and if you could give us your name and your.

A

Address, thank you. Thank you peter yeah, so I I have more questions than really a comment.

A

Name and address please uh it's john raganis and I'm at 74 cabot street in portsmouth great.

G

um I uh I'll full disclosure. um I've been in the electric uh generation, wholesale business.

G

For over 40 years, um working on total renewable generation in new england, so I have a little.

G

Background here, but um but not in this area, um so my first question is: was the last response.

G

That was made um when uh an individual goes and chooses a power supply alternative to eversource.

G

They go to a retail supplier, whereas the co-op doesn't go to retail suppliers. So my question is.

G

In the say, the uh the coalition, when they purchase power or their portfolio, are they.

G

Going to wholesale power suppliers or the same retail suppliers, because that's where.

G

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out where the money savings is going to come from.

B

It's a good question and the the answer is almost a little bit complicated because of.

B

Our launch schedule right now, but essentially both so the coalition is set up to be able to transact.

B

Directly in the market, with wholesale buyers and sellers, so it will enlist the load serving entity.

B

In that, and eventually potentially become a load serving entity, someone who is registered with the.

B

Iso new england market and transact directly with counterparties in that market. Okay, so let.

G

Me make that simpler. Yes, there can be there'll, be purchases potentially some of the purchase power.

G

Is through wholesale rates or a wholesale power purchase agreements which is theoretically cheaper.

G

Than what a retail supplier would be able to do so, that's a good! That's really good! First of all,.

G

um The second is in the portfolio, I thought I heard you mention that there would be a portfolio.

G

Of different types of say, agreements, power, supply agreements, one could be six months, one could be.

G

A year one could be three years. uh Example: we are providing the state of vermont 20 years of.

G

Of firm power and peak power type of thing, so it could it's a mixture of that that you're going to.

G

Get your savings from, and I think that's really clear important for people to understand this is.

G

Not just buying power, but it's buying bulk power as opposed to retail power. That's that's accurate.

C

Correct and there's a fairly sophisticated hedging strategy: yeah yeah! No! I got all that, but I'm.

G

Trying to make it kind of simple, um so that's good! The second is about the the action for the city.

G

um uh Taking action it's the city is, um is this: the city is establishing the.

G

Portsmouth community power, not necessarily or is it both that and obligating to the.

G

Purchasing power through the community power coalition, it was a little unclear as to what.

G

You said there might be options for the portsmouth community power.

G

But is it options only through the coalition? That's what I'm trying to understand. We made the.

A

The council made the decision uh to join the coalition and it's our advice to the council.

A

To use the coalition as the bulk energy supplier, but the action on the council.

G

Is to establish the portsmouth organization, not necessarily to drive where it goes to do its work.

G

um So it's unclear yeah, the portsmouth community power is, is not itself an organization. It is a.

B

Program and then that program could be run by one of multiple service providers, one of which.

B

Is community power coalition which, which is a corporation a non-profit corporation? But the.

G

Action before the portsmouth city council is to establish a commission of some sort that would.

G

Enable one of those options to happen is that it would be to move forward with a a progression plan.

F

Okay, okay and and the plan and the program is outlined in the eap. The energy aggregation plan.

A

Which is the subject of this hearing consultative, and I just add, I think you just said that, but.

F

Just to underscore it uh we at first went to the council to say: would you approve of our suggestion.

F

Of signing up with the coalition, or would you want the city of portsmouth to hire a broker to.

F

Work with now, if we want the broker, it would be a different different thing altogether and that.

F

Was the first decision it was made and we said we don't want to go with the broker. We instead.

F

Of want to enroll with the coalition, so it's not the city of portsmouth that is running the power.

F

Thing it would be through a broker if we did that or through the coalition. So, and we asked a.

A

Lot of the same questions you were asking about, we learned a lot about portfolio management yeah. No, I.

G

But I thought the slide that you had towards the end where there were going to be representatives.

G

On for and like at the local level, no well so the well they're local representatives and the.

F

Coalition right so the the coalition is comprised of a board of appointees from each member town.

B

That I understand okay, I was speaking more about the action that reports of city council is.

G

Is undertaking, was it didn't? I? I may have misread this the slide, but I thought there.

G

Was a slide point to a group of residents will be on a portsmouth yeah. This is the energy advisory.

C

Committee and it will continue on okay- so that's what that was still referring yeah, so the energy.

G

Advisory committee will still play not a new right. Yes, thank you. I just there's a little unclear.

G

um And then I think. Lastly, I wanted to just ask that um there's you mentioned some questions.

G

About net metering and and some challenges in it now I net meter, I have sold around my roof.

G

um I net meter uh 100 through eversource. um If, if I were to change- and I do have a different power.

G

Supplier, so it's not like, I I'm I'm net metering back to my in my independent power supplier.

G

Where's, the I'm not I'm trying to figure out where this challenge is for you are you. Are you.

G

Thinking that as an alternative to net metering to eversource there's something else or I'm not.

G

Quite clear on what you were talking about I'll give this one a shot. So there there are regulatory.

B

Rules that require utilities to share certain data sets with community power entities. Those include.

B

Information on net metering, who's net metering and what is their import export to the grid.

B

At present, the utilities haven't demonstrated their ability to fully comply with sharing.

B

That data community power needs that data to appropriately enroll the net metering, customers.

B

Into their energy supply programs and and account for their power correctly, so the plan has always.

B

Been net metering, customers can participate in portsmouth community power under essentially the.

B

Same terms that they get where they're, not metering for their utility, currently or or.

B

They're, independent right or they're, independent or they're independent power suppliers right and.

B

um What portsmouth community power will not do is if they have not received the adequate data from.

B

The utilities then net meter and customers would not be automatically enrolled. They would only they.

B

Would have the choice of joining, but there won't be like it's a do. No harm sort of approach right.

B

If, like we need, there needs to be cert, this is a technical issue, but uh so long as the data.

B

Sharing and the rules are in compliance, then net metering customers would be enrolled and there.

B

Would be no detriment to those customers, they would receive the same programs and products that.

B

They're currently getting, and otherwise they would not be automatically enrolled into the program.

C

And the thought is that that is a temporary until some of these logistics get worked out.

C

This utility, okay, so it's just technical issues that at launched uh there may be some issues with.

C

Net metering customers coming out to the program, but that's not meant to be a uh a going forward.

C

Issue but at launch it could be an issue for for myself as a resident that currently net meters.

G

Will I be able to join this program on day one you could choose to join? Yes, okay, you.

G

Would I lose my 100 percent kilowatt per kilowatt net metering rate, no okay,.

G

And are you and there's a new one sound like an issue to me, okay, good! Thank you. I appreciate that.

G

You you're asking you're letting me ask you a few questions and my last one was just more simply on.

G

The map a lot of colors for different communities. What did that represent? I we've gotten that.

B

Question before they don't mean anything, and I think it's a sign that we should change the colors.

B

Perhaps on that slide? Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you uh any other questions.

A

So um now we'll start the public hearing. um So if you can come forward and speak.

A

To the podium, please give us your name and your address and speak to for or against.

A

And we've put in the agenda uh limit your testimony into five minutes and away. We go.

H

280 south street- I'm not going to speak too far against I'm, going to ask some questions and make.

H

Some offers observations and uh hopefully, when you have your workshop and your.

H

Public hearing to council um these will be addressed.

H

So my first question is on your first presentation: community power: will the city council will support.

H

The community power advisory committee will contract for the necessary services.

H

On the next page of the presentation it says, portsmouth community power will only launch.

H

If it is able to initially offer residential default rates that are lower than competitive.

H

So my confusion is um from the community power side they're looking for communities to opt in and.

H

Contract in because this is the presentation that they're giving and you're looking for portsmouth.

H

To do that, but then on the second page, when you say if we can't get to that we're not going to.

H

Launch that that's a conflict in my mind. So if, if you could kind of kind of clarify that.

H

Next thing is, um this is self-funded and the rates will be paid by participating customers.

H

The city will not use tax dollars for expenses, so my comment on that that you need to think.

H

About is if any city employee participates, it is tax dollars and you have peter rice on.

H

There, as a city staff employee as alternate so um I I urge you to think about that. One.

H

Next, I'm going to go through, I actually went through the whole 70 some pages and.

H

Wrote down some questions, so I will. uh I will go through some of that. This might be repetitive, but.

H

um I'm sure other people would be uh asking the same, so this is on page seven. Vendors are.

H

Expected to fi to fund and self-manage the upfront cost of launching community power.

H

Programs under at-risk and performance-based contracts, structures with payments contingent.

H

Upon successful launch, my question is: who will be monitoring this and uh this? These cost later.

H

On will affect all of the people in the in the coalition, so it is probably critical on this.

H

um To to know, somebody is monitoring this at this point in time before everybody gets in.

H

um Next, the program implementation cost for portsmouth, along with other operational power.

H

Procurement expenses will be factored into customer rates and recovered from the revenues.

H

Received from the participating customers after the launch of community power, um so they're.

H

Looking at the rates- and I understand you said we could have a surplus, so basically the members.

H

Still have to build up enough reserve to pay these startup costs for a better word um and put those.

H

In their rates, so um the the question is: how will and at what point in time and who will determine.

H

When you flip from just having rates to provide power to adding amounts to uh pay for this reserve,.

H

um My next question uh on the con on a contract is.

H

um I didn't see anywhere where there is a term of this contract. Is this contract for two years.

H

Five years, ten years and how do how would I guess the residents um know how long they're going to.

H

Be able to choose this and what would determine if they weren't able to have that opportunity anymore.

H

H

The next thing uh is on page 22: um I'm assuming your default equals your base.

H

This would be the lowest cost that you could probably possibly have. That was the assumption.

H

I made when I'm asking my questions here so um the thing that I found interesting in your.

H

Rate and cost uh portsmouth will launch only if it's able to offer um residential default.

H

Rates that are initially lower or than or competitive with eversource the program will.

H

Keyword strive to maintain competitive rates for all default customers, so once you sign up.

H

I understand you could come in and out every 30 days which um I'm with another one another.

H

Provider that that would be an awkward situation, but I'll just mention that. But when you go down to.

H

This down to where the city council is going to participate, it said the city council will.

H

Adopt the energy management risks, so words are important here and I urge you to uh kind of be a.

H

Little bit more specific when you're talking about about rates because they're important to people.

H

The other thing that caught my eye, that was very interesting, that was down in the middle.

H

Of the page, it says over the long term, these funds may also be used to directly fund other programs.

H

Financial requirements or to augment the financial financing of development of new projects and.

H

Programs in the later years of the program subject to the city council's approval. So when I was here.

H

The first time- and we had up the presentation from henry he explained that say: portsmouth.

H

Wanted to put in a a wind farm or any any type of different program. My understanding was that that.

H

Program would only be billed to this, the residents of portsmouth or the community. That would benefit.

H

I guess I would like some clarification on that, so everybody understands uh if we decide.

H

To do something else in portsmouth different it, the cost is not spread through all of the.

H

Other entities in the co-op it is added on to the only the customers in portsmouth's bill.

H

Okay, um let's see next uh the the re-enrollment process.

H

It seems it's it's very good that that people can't opt in. I mean if you're in the middle.

H

Of a contract like uh some of us will be when this gets transacted, because you have no idea.

H

At what point in time that'll happen, uh it's good that we could opt back in um next. I would ask on.

H

Page 23. uh after the launch, in accordance with applicable rules uh and procedures, established.

H

By the public utilities, commission new customers, we provided with a default service array of.

H

Eversource and the community power and will be transferred onto community powers.

H

Default service unless they choose to be served by eversource as a competitive supplier, so basically.

H

Your default is always ever source, no matter what you do if use, and my understanding from.

H

The beginning is when, if you sell your house, the only thing that goes to the new owner is.

H

um Either community power or the default of eversource, I guess I'd like that, still confirmed.

H

um Let's see on page 24.

H

Let's see this is about uh customer data and um my friend over there asked asked the same thing.

H

um And this was a little confusing to me and you might want to clarify this aggravate aggregate or.

H

Not I can't even say it and not recognize data that does not comprise confidential.

H

Confidentiality of individual customers may be released at the discretion of the.

H

Portsmouth community power and as required by law, which is fine.

H

Then it goes on to say, participants will continue to be responsible for paying bills.

H

Failure should do so may result in a customer being transferred from portsmouth community power.

H

Back to eversource the regulated distribution, utility and provider of last resort, the default.

H

Energy service payment and collections identify shutoffs under procedures subject.

H

To oversight by the public utilities, commission now after the rsa went through and was approved.

H

um There was, I think, an amendment or an adjustment to this on non-collectible accounts, and I noticed.

H

Not none of the the documentation had anything that addressed that and um the reason I'm asking.

H

That is uh what it meant, and this is big for many of the utilities is if they can't collect.

H

Their their bills, they have non-collectible receivables in the whole state, and anybody.

H

Who is a part of this coalition um that enabled them to put all the receivables back into that.

H

Pool and be spread back out to the members of that. So my question is: is that still the case.

H

And are you going to address it in the contract for uh for portsmouth and and everybody else.

H

H

um Like other uh question is I I noted that there were that um ascend analytics and.

H

Especially calpine we're putting a lot of money into this. I I guess up front and uh I would ask.

H

That, when this goes to the city council, that it's very understandable about how much they would.

H

Put in and when you you would as require from community power to be asking for that money back.

H

um Because that will be assuming you have reserves to pull to push it back.

H

Into community power to start paying off these upfront costs, I I hope that was clear.

H

um Because they're putting in the upfront cost at some point in time, they're going to say you need.

H

To start paying us back and increasing your rates, if that doesn't happen, will.

H

That the default be to go back to the uh the cities and and the taxpayers in that case, so.

H

um It would be nice if that was clear to the residents and probably the council.

H

Let's see so um on page xii, I don't know where that is. This is about uh member cost, sharing.

H

And agreements so when in the process here when portsmouth, actually contracts for this.

H

My understanding was you're in and you're going to share your main agreement to share those costs.

H

Whether you're going going to launch or not so the question is what happens if, after a year.

H

Portsmouth decides to leave, is it described in a contract? uh You know what what where is.

H

It defined about the actions or the dollars that are affected here is: is every community.

H

um Required still to pay the cost, that of startup when they were initially.

H

um Started to get involved with this and sign their contract, so basically what portsmouth be on.

H

The hook, if in a year they said you know, we want to switch. This, isn't working for whatever reason.

H

um Would there still be amounts owed to the coalition at that time?.

H

And um I didn't see that anywhere, so uh I I kind of wanted to know how that how that would work.

H

uh The the next one is um is under uh the attachment for utility default procurement.

H

Cycles and rate settings um portsmouth has a goal of maintaining comparative default.

H

Rates as compared to eversource, so that the interesting thing here was the timing of.

H

The program's rate setting decisions and, to a certain degree, the procurement of electricity.

H

Will need to consider whenever source this conducts the same activities, particularly.

H

For the program's default electrical product, so I I wasn't really understanding why it's only.

H

Eversource here the the information also listed liberty and unitil and had a great amount of.

H

Of detail on unitil, there was definitely more detail on unit till which was an ever source.

H

Competitor than was given on eversource, so um if you could uh clarify that in the future.

A

How we doing on time here- oh all, right, yeah.

H

The only other questions I would have is on maintaining um uh customer confidentiality on.

H

On data uh there was uh clauses in here where it said that um the city manager would do that.

H

I would hope, before this went to the council and you finalized everything that our legal.

H

Department would also look at at this for um for the protection basically of the customer data.

H

That's going to be shared because this is going to be shared with third parties and whomever and.

H

I guess I would like the comfort to know that uh this data was um somebody's monitoring, that.

H

And uh basically, now that the city of portsmouth does have a cio, that would be uh a lot easier.

H

And that's my questions just just for your own information. I appreciate your detailed.

C

Review of that, I think you'd be interested in downstream. I mean the the plan itself is.

C

Is while it's detailed, it's still fairly high level, it's supported by a number of detailed.

C

Policies, one on power procurement, one on rates, one on financial reserve management, uh privacy.

C

um Cost sharing between all the communities and those are very, very detailed, dense documents.

C

That have been developed and approved by the board of the the member communities, so those.

C

Documents are a extensive supplement to that high level plan and a lot of the questions.

C

That you were asking, I think, eventually, when those get approved, if if they do get.

C

Approved by the city uh you'd be interested in reviewing those as well. I think, okay, so.

H

Those weren't, the attachments that were listed in in the in the publication, then.

H

There was like 10 attachments in there that I was looking at, I'm not sure, are the they're, not those.

B

Were approved just in the past in really december, if they were finally, oh, okay, so so I I we weren't.

H

Able to yeah, okay, the sequence of things the the city council approved the high level, even though.

C

It's many many pages energy aggregation plan, but then downstream within uh about a month.

C

And a half if we get that far down, would approve all these very detailed governance policies that.

C

um Support the high level plan that get at a number of your questions and and tremendous detail.

C

Okay, one other question: if the: if this goes to the uh the state for approval, what happens if, if.

H

They find something wrong, does it get kicked back and we get to redo it or and how does that work.

B

Yeah, so the the way it's written in the law, they have 60 days to deny the plan to say it does not.

B

Comply with the law for some reason and if they make no ruling in the 60-day time period, it is.

B

Automatically approved so they have to sort of affirmatively, reject it based on legal grounds,.

B

And then you and then portsmouth could address whatever the legal issue is and resubmit. Oh so.

H

But they do notify on what what their problem was right yeah, so they would have to document and yeah.

C

Okay, okay and about 12 plans have been reviewed and approved by the puc and the portsmouth plan.

C

Is probably 95 in alignment with those plans that have already been approved? Certainly there's some.

C

Customization to portsmouth around goals and some of the city policies, but the the lion's.

C

Share of the plan is what other communities are using and, as I mentioned about a dozen of them,.

C

Have been approved by the puc, because one of the the notes in here that kind of made me a little.

H

Nervous was if, uh if for some reason, you're you're in the middle of community power- and it doesn't.

H

Work out it would come back to the city, so in effect you were establishing a a city utility.

H

um If that happens, and that would leave it up to the city to hire all the people that are involved.

H

Here so I guess that's part of the the risk the city is taking. um You know in getting involved.

H

With this, ultimately, if it didn't work out, the residents would just default back to to eversource.

H

And the city would not have to take up all of this in the cost sharing agreement. There's.

C

Details that what happens downstream once the community becomes a member and at what time.

C

They did exit if they exited the plan. There are certain obligations depending on on their.

C

Certain exit ramps, but uh for the residents of the town they would all default back and have no.

C

Obligation it would default back to uh back to eversource. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, peter next,.

A

Welcome andrea hi, andrea amico, 187 grant ave. uh Thank you for hosting this public hearing tonight.

I

And for your work on this committee, I fully support these efforts. I think it's a great time.

I

To implement a plan uh like this, as many people are experiencing really high energy costs, anything.

I

That can be done to reduce these costs is greatly appreciated. However, what really appeals to me in.

I

This plan is that it gives our community control in three ways where we source our power. What types.

I

Of energy we use and the ability to build up reserves and reinvest it back into projects.

I

That can benefit the community. We currently lack this control and I like that, with this plan, we.

I

Can have a more vested interest and say in our energy sources and costs. I have a few suggestions.

I

For the committee to consider so I do understand there will be four different options for people.

I

To choose from, and I understand how these options are different, but what I don't really understand.

I

Or, what's not clear to me is how the cost is different between the four plans, and I would like.

I

To think that most people will want to choose a plan that includes more green energy, but I do you.

I

Think for many people it will come down to cost. So can you please consider creating sample bills or.

I

An example showing the cost of the four different plans using the same amount of energy. I understand.

I

It's relevant to how much energy someone will use and the rates that you can secure. So maybe it's.

I

Not an easy ask for me to ask you to do that, but I just think having an example for people of what.

I

The bills could be for the same amount of energy across the four plans will help people get a sense.

I

Of the cost variations and hopefully allow them to make greener choices if it is affordable to them.

I

And I worry that without an example of the range I worry, some people will assume.

I

The options with the renewable energy is a lot more expensive and just not even consider them.

I

My next suggestion is when the program gets up and running and you notify people about opting.

I

Out, I'm not sure if this notice will come from eversource or if addresses are shared with the.

I

Coalition and they'll notify people regardless. Can you please consider notifying people by mail.

I

And email I personally receive paperless billing from eversource and I'm not always tuned in to.

I

What I receive in my actual mailbox- and I also didn't- receive the postcard with the survey so.

I

I do worry, I may not receive the info about the options and my ability to opt out or opt up when.

I

It is sent out and there may be other people like me, who maybe aren't paying attention to mailbox.

I

Their mailbox or the mailings, and it just might be beneficial to send that information. Both ways.

I

If you can and then lastly, please consider once the program is up and running, offering.

I

Incentives or rebates to customers who purchase energy, efficient appliances, the city's water.

I

Department currently does this for residents who buy low flow, toilets and energy efficient, washing.

I

Machines, they will reimburse residents a rebate of a hundred dollars for a low flow toilet and.

I

150 dollars for an energy efficient, washing machine, I think it's a great program because.

I

It helps incentivize residents to purchase more efficient appliances. It save saves residents, money.

I

On their bills, and it overall helps decrease the demand on the water supply and the sewer.

I

System which is better for the environment, so I think a similar rebate program on the energy side.

I

Of things could be effective and beneficial for everyone as well. So I just want to thank.

I

You all for your work on this committee. I really appreciate all you have done to bring the project.

I

This far- and I really hope it gets full support from the city council thanks. Thank you, andrea.

A

um Henry will publish the rates correct for each of the different service levels.

B

Yes, and and because uh portsmouth is not quite um the first first wave, the rates will.

B

Be published for another eight nine ten towns in within a month, so those the actual rates.

B

Will be available and they'll be available before portsmouth is um prepared to initiate the program.

A

And then we'd have them in the notification letter. That's right um and I'll. Just note.

B

On the on the email point on the note on the enrollment notices, so under the law and the way.

B

The coalition receives the mailing addresses from the utility companies. That's done through mailed.

B

Notifications and and we're not in possession of email addresses to notify customers that way.

B

To the microphone, please.

A

Well, we want it all in the public record, so john raganis again 74 cabinet street. I just wanted.

G

To understand it sounded to me, it makes total sense that you would have the rates available.

G

When you're soliciting people to opt in or opt out what about the term so for an individual customer.

B

There is no term a customer can leave whenever. Well. um If I, if you had a rate that was no longer.

G

Met with a contract or a power supply, is that rate locked in for life? I don't I don't get it.

G

What do you mean the rate? The rate will change at this on the same calendar as the uh uh eversource.

C

So today it's february, so it's a six month rate. It's a six month rate at this point in time, yeah.

C

So, every time the default rate changes we'll be changing, things could change in the future. Sure.

G

But when you're telling people this is the rate you'll also tell them it's for the next six months.

C

Yes, if we launched at the on the in february for some period of 26 months, if we say launched in.

C

June the rates change again in august, so their customers would be on a rate for june and july.

C

And then it would change again in august because that's when the utilities uh default rate changes.

B

And that's to maintain the discount relative to the utility sure sure the person that would opt in.

G

Has an idea how long that rate will last yes and typically six months? How would they know when the.

G

Rate changes: how is the anticipated information going to be shared when the rate would change.

B

So that's all it's on the website. The shopping comparison website on the coalition's website.

B

It could be on on portsmouth's website and it'll be in the bills, but there won't be like.

B

A mailed notification, every rate change, [, __ ]. The portsmouth advisory committee could notify.

G

Its citizens of the rates, absolutely good. Yes, yes, and thank you for bringing that up. Yeah.

F

um Peter, could I just add to.

F

I just want to add to um uh andrea's question um the issue of you know when people are first sign.

F

Up, um even if you are not informed of what the rate is going to be for some reason, let's say a.

F

Mailing gets lost or something since we're not launching unless we're lower than the default.

F

Rate, the worst thing that could happen to you is that your next bill would have a supply rate.

F

That's lower than the last bill did. Okay, even if you weren't informed. So it's not that dangerous.

F

That you would be uh disadvantaged second thing is: if you follow the puc's website, comparing all.

F

Hundred percent green energy, with currently the default rate of eversource, you can get.

F

As much as five cents cheaper rate right now for a hundred percent green energy, so.

F

It's not to say that we necessarily have to assume it's always going to be more expensive.

F

Currently, it isn't it's five cents cheaper, all right, so yeah do we have other speakers.

J

Hi good evening uh my name is logan roy. I live at 233 hillside drive. I have like two sentences worth.

J

Of comment, uh I just wanted to say thanks again and uh definitely I'm in support of portsmouth's.

J

Community power and the eap um and of particular interest to me and others, I've spoken to about.

J

This is the ability of revenues from the sort of program to reinvest into local, specifically local.

J

Renewable resources, um so, thanks again and looking forward to seeing where this goes. Thank you.

A

Others, too far and against how about on zoom.

D

All right um going once going twice: okay, I'll close the public hearing.

A

And thank you, everybody who spoke. uh Thank you for really doing your homework as we can always expect.

A

The resident support smith to do, and we have a list of questions that we'll work on when we get.

A

To the city council work session, um we should do a little bit of business before we adjourn.

A

um We would we want to get our eap to the utilities. Commission.

A

Did we hear anything tonight that would uh make us want to hold that back? I think our documents.

A

Pretty good so far and uh the benefit of getting that to the puc is they can.

A

Do our compliance review and take that 60 days and keep us on on schedule.

C

I didn't see anything we couldn't get answers for residents, um albeit maybe not worded explicitly in.

C

The eap, but I don't think, there's anything we can't answer or get answers based on what was.

C

Presented tonight, yeah yeah, I'm interested in clarification of count, uh former counselor who.

A

Does questions about receivables um that I don't think that would delay are our our eap at all.

A

And if not, I'd welcome a motion to submit that for review to the puc. That does not.

A

Find the city at all it just starts the legal compliance review I'll make a motion that we.

E

um Go ahead and submit the portsmouth, the ap and to the puc for they're, okay right. Okay, all.

A

In favor, bye, okay uh and then one of the thought I had that I wanted to share with you. um We now.

A

Have closed out the survey, and it would seem to make sense to me to include that in the eap.

A

um On I think we have appendix 7 is we mentioned that we have? We have done a survey.

A

And all we would have to say is and the results are and we could put the slides in.

A

So I wanted to get a sense from you, so she was like a good idea: yeah, okay, I'd like to have.

C

Something certainly like that in the plan yeah- and we were discussing having that earlier, but.

E

Also, I think there needs to be just a little bit of explanation in some of the categories.

E

So just a few words like um who is the other when there are people that are not portsmouth residents.

E

What are they and they chose to select that? Because they were both landlords and residents or.

E

Whatever just so that, there's a little blur that says yeah, I'm trying to think how we could do that.

D

Because we, if I might um because we have survey, results in the powerpoint, I can.

D

Edit, the powerpoint to add the definition. There is okay, and also I mean I at the committee's pleasure.

D

um Are we, including, essentially the slides from the presentation, yeah.

D

Not all the emails, not all the comments, just the highlights, I think just the slides, yeah.

A

With a link, if we have the survey posted.

D

Again, we're doing a high level, because the whole survey has everyone's email right.

A

um So we'll just put the results of this survey are showing the attached powerpoint.

J

Right and we'll add those explanations with the explanations and if you'd like me to send.

E

You explanations for each one of the slides that I would agree: okay, um yeah, if you send.

D

Them to me off at the powerpoint and then I'll, convert it to a pdf so that you can.

D

So we were asking if the eap is submitted as a pdf or if it has to be a word document.

B

Typically, I believe I've seen pdf submissions.

A

And just as an explanation for those of us watching uh the.

A

Puc has a 60-day review period. All they do is verify that our plan is.

A

In compliance with rsa 53e right, so the actual decision to move forward with the program is.

A

Is the city council voting on february 23rd to approve the eap and then we're really.

A

Allow we're able to withdraw at any time up until we agree with the community power coalition to.

A

Start sourcing power, and that would not happen until mid-april, something like that. So.

A

This is a step we have to kick off now, so the puc has time to go through its.

A

It's verification that we're we're within the ordinance within the rsa.

A

Right if I got that yes right up to the point in time like the day after the cdc approves it.

C

Theoretically, the risk committee meets to authorize the coalition number four.

C

To start preparing power for portsmouth and at that meeting, you'd have a representative.

C

um Designated representative from the city to say yes or if there's any reason not to.

C

Move forward, they could say no at that meeting and if you look at our calendar.

C

That's out around april 13th yeah. So, even though we're submitting the plan.

C

Perhaps tomorrow, hopefully, tomorrow the calendar, if it plays out 60 days, we wouldn't technically be.

C

On the hook to moving forward till um mid april, as you said, council right and uh peter and stephanie.

A

We comfortable with those next steps, adding the yeah we'll get it submitted tomorrow. Great okay,.

A

With the slides with the slides and the changes, I do think that you know the survey shows.

A

That people want lower rates and that they want more green energy, and I think that's a strong evidence to support the support. The program.

A

Okay, any other business for us.

A

um Thanks everyone, we've got some good public input and we'll digest those questions go to work.

A

On take a motion to adjourn, if there's one make a motion to adjourn one. Second, all in favor aye.