City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Mayor's Blue Ribbon Energy Advisory Committee, 9 Nov 2022

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From YouTube: 11.9.2022 Portsmouth Energy Advisory Committee

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11.9.2022 Portsmouth Energy Advisory Committee

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We have counselor cook, we have kevin schrett committee, member peter samsich committee member.

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Ben d'ant antonio committee member tom rooney committee member is absent, as is allison tanner.

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um Tonight, we've got a few decisions to make and we just want to share information.

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um We have the energy aggregation plan, largely written. Our goals. Section is done. I've also.

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Added a little history section as one of the appendices, here's what's next with that.

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Unless there are changes that you would like to see us make we'll send.

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The red line version back to the community power coalition they've asked us to do.

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They actually have some sections that they've shortened, which is good.

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And we were also.

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Going to give it to the city legal department, so they can review it and then it'll come back to us.

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And we can then share it with the city council as a proposed energy aggregation plan.

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And tell the city council we're then going to hold public hearings to get citizen input.

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The other things we want to talk about tonight, the community survey which, in our engagement.

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Plan which stephanie wrote for us is slated for december, so we wanted to talk about implementing.

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That I don't think we have to have everything figured out tonight, that'd be nice. If we could, we.

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Could have a small working group get together on that, if necessary, just for logistics um and then.

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Last meeting we asked ben to look at the net metering portion of the aggregation plan.

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And he's going to educate us a little bit on that, I think there's some policy questions for us. There.

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And we'll get updated on the new documents from community power coalition, the risk management.

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Doc document and the cost sharing plan- I don't it's very early in the game for those, so we.

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Don't have to go into them into greater detail, but we just want everybody to be aware of those.

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And and then we'll take a look at our our action steps for december. So.

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Let's turn to the survey.

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We've got the draft of that ready to go um and we worked that over a fair amount. At the last meeting.

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And I'll raise my hand and say I think it's good to go.

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If we want to move ahead and get it done in december, I would propose to us that we.

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Send a postcard out to all the households with a qr code and a link.

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um And that would give us very broad reach.

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We had talked about an op-ed piece prior to that postcard, mailing going out, which I'd be happy to.

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Write um and then that survey would come back and I think that survey of course generates interest.

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In what was the response? What did people say that gives us a hook for a january.

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Community forum on on the whole topic, which would set us up nicely for the public hearings.

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um I did ask henry herndon and do the public hearings have to be done by the city council.

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Or can they be done by us and he said well, it differs town to town, but generally it's been.

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The energy committees that have been doing the public hearings- I think that's good at you- know.

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The more public hearings you add to city council nights, the more you get towards midnight.

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So if we could get the public input on this as the only topic of the night, I think that that helps us.

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um So uh I also talked to uh city manager and deputy city manager about.

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Doing the postcard mailing we'd want three bids for that.

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And they think that they could get that turned around in a week or two um I looked at costing.

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And it looks like we'd be in the range of either five thousand or fifty two hundred dollars for.

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um A solo postcard where there's a shared mail package that goes out to.

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Every home, with your market basket flyers and everything else and the card on top of that.

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Is a good vehicle and that's about twenty five hundred dollars so.

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Then the question would be: what's our call to action.

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What are we asking people to do so? We can work on that, but I'll pass around.

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Just some simple copy starting place, I don't think we have to do that tonight. I think we could.

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Have a work session coalition of the willing who wanted to work on.

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Postcard copy, but uh you have some more of that john yeah oops.

B

Is it too late to get into the water bill or early december.

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um That actually costs more, does it okay, um but we all have the the I like the postcard.

C

Idea and unfortunately, the water bill can't can only take an eight and a half by eleven sheet.

C

But I do think I because I'm on the city laptop. um It seems to me that when we, when.

C

The stormwater folks just did the postcard mailing um to all of the water bill list.

C

It was a lot less money, so I need to look at that number and send it to you yeah. I think that I.

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Think that's a that's a some due diligence we need to do on the staff side is what are the options.

C

Southport did that mailing they printed the postcard did the mailing and right southport is a.

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Vendor spectrum over in manchester, which does all of the wonderful political cards that we've been.

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Receiving uh they're all in the bahamas, that's right: spectrum's, good, eastern marketing services.

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So any of those, I think, would be potentials, so I think it's a matter of having some quotes.

D

Counselor, if you have any additional comments on the survey or do we want to handle us outside of.

D

Today's meeting or um sure I I was, I kind of walked past that, but let's go back and and.

A

And take up the survey, there were elements you wanted to change, yeah. Well, just a couple things.

D

And I had passed along a note to you stephanie, I don't know if you saw it um just it was minor. We.

D

Referenced cpc and h in one of the things that we didn't: we've never really defined it in the survey.

D

So that needs uh some language, maybe in the intro of the survey, because one of the questions we say.

D

We just reference cpcnh right um yeah and I the change I made was for portsmouth community power.

C

And it yeah it's a cpcnh will offer blah blah blah. We might want to just add a sentence or.

D

Two in the intro section to define what that is and that we've you know: we've signed up somewhere.

C

Right here on the community powers coming to um community power coalition of new hampshire is.

C

Or the portsmouth committee is working with the community power coalition of new hampshire on.

C

This initiative and then maybe just not in a sentence of what, what yeah cpc and h is.

D

um Just some because if we're going to reference it, yes, no, that's good! That's.

A

A good change. I also noticed that um in the copy we became the community power committee.

A

To our current name yeah, um we- and I only did that because that came up in one of the prior meetings.

C

Specifically talking about the eap where we are the portsmouth community power, not portsmouth,.

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Energy advisory committee. So it's whether this survey is being sent by this committee or by.

C

The portsmouth community power initiative, or if it's worth making that distinction.

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um I think it'd be good to have our committee name just because.

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That's where all our information is on the city website.

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As yet, there isn't a community power committee.

E

Is that question about the city website is subdomain, auto forwarding something.

E

That the city engages in um not usually, we try to keep all of the all of the framework.

C

Together, but what were you like? A common address would be www.cityofportsmouth.com.

C

Right and if and if you swapped out the www for community power, community power.

E

Dot cityofportsmouth.com could auto forward to whatever url you want right.

E

um If it fits your normal directory instructor great, I think there may be an example of that.

C

That's just come up recently, so let me ask our it folks, because it's it's catchy and it's everything.

C

Because we do have the problem that our web pages have urls that are like this they're.

A

Enormous and they're, not always plain english. You know in this one. I don't know if it's portsmouth.

D

Community powers working with, but is it like? Does the city of fort smith has joined yeah.

D

The community power coalition of new hampshire, that's a little more factually accurate yeah.

D

And then you can put the language around right, cpc and h's and remember the beauty.

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Of the survey is, it will be online, so the copy can be changed right up until the mail drop.

F

um Cool and you could put some just like we'll the language around pooling.

D

The needs for the cities and towns in new hampshire members, whatever we have.

D

Language that kind of defines what cpc and h is right and then I just had one question: one.

D

One of these questions kind of to me, the the one that says, programs.

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To buy power off peak at off peak rates and use battery storage, [applause].

D

You know what I kind of links the two together and it's I mean there's a near-term opportunity that we could.

D

Have more in the way of time of use rates having nothing to do with battery storage.

D

So I was just suggesting that there'd be maybe a question added that precedes the one about battery.

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Storage that says, you know the ability to have lower off-peak timer use rates or electricity.

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Consumption can be shipped to less costly times a day. That's like one question: how interested would.

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You be in doing that just shifting your your consumption, then it could be followed by this.

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Question around and the use of battery stores, because battery storage is it's more futuristic.

D

um You send us an email with some of that yeah I did okay, so I just was wondering if that was.

A

Something we wanted to incorporate, then I know you've been good about it. Yeah right.

F

What's that we don't have interval meters yet yeah, we don't. We don't have interval meters.

G

Are having new meters to do that? If you want time to use so the questions really kind of.

E

Just trying to trying to get a sense of our is there an interest in this is.

D

Pursuing that, um I guess it's a little bit of a tease right. Maybe it's also a little bit too.

G

Technical to start off with you know that if you ask people, um would you like to explore.

G

um Rates that are related to usage or higher usage low usage. You know.

G

Is that some, but see when you ask people that they don't know? What do I have to do to do? Yeah.

D

Do I have to enable my my dishes at night time or no laundry during the day, or I mean you know now.

G

You're getting really intimate into their lives, and we don't even know if we can handle that.

G

Because we don't have currently meters that can separate different time intervals and say: okay.

G

There's a four different rates and a 24-hour cycle. You know we don't have them yeah. So maybe so this.

D

Question even is written, then is is a little. Even the batteries are so too complicated. You know I.

D

Mean you want to store energy yeah sure I want to storage. What do I have to have a big battery in my.

G

Yard- or you know, people just get confused- I didn't know where this question came from. Who pays for it.

D

But if we had it, I thought more generic question just around it would be people be interested in.

D

Time to use rates to move their consumption, like you know, drying your clothes out of.

D

At a nine o'clock at night versus something like a time, I use people, don't know what that is.

C

Interested in and I'm I'm thinking because I think allison also said the battery storage.

C

Although she may have come up with that, the battery storage is a separate thing that we.

C

Haven't explained so I would suggest taking that out, but as as one of the items on the list.

C

For example, the ability to increase availability of locally produced renewable energy, the ability.

C

Maybe it's the ability to buy power at off-peak rates. Is it that simple is it? Is that what you're.

C

Trying to get to maybe something really would you be willing to explore options to use energy.

G

Cheaper when it's less in demand and there's less demand for it, would you be willing to change your.

G

Your your energy consumption, according to rates being different at different.

G

Times of the day, you know or something like that. Well, the way I wear it here and it's.

D

Maybe it's still too a little too technical, but the ability to have lower off-peak time of use.

D

Rates, electricity, consumption, I.e, electric dryer can be shifted to less costly times a.

D

Day but you're pointing out, we don't have the meter, we don't have meters right now.

G

Yeah, that's what it is so so maybe we just so maybe we could hope it's not even time to.

D

Eliminate that option, and certainly the battery storage, I think, is even more.

G

Yes, new hampshire, yeah yeah, I don't think we even have the code. The building code is not.

B

Even updated to accommodate all of that, vermont has tons of them. Battery storage. California has.

D

Tons of them at the residential, oh yeah. Well, I think maybe these things are things that we.

G

Should come to play adding once things up and running yeah? Okay, so you can always go once.

F

People get used to what what that means and how, how that affects my behavior or not, then.

G

You can say you know we're exploring batteries, we're exploring different times of day usage.

G

Would you be willing to be interested in exploring that and then say, okay: this is what you need to.

G

Do- or this is what we would need to do by like replacing meters, let's cut it out, let's just.

D

So that was the only one because we might be kind of over promising there yeah not.

A

Being able to deliver, no, you know I I liked it because it was in the future and well.

A

We're all going to live there someday, but you know it's too futuristic of.

C

Option of what the coalition is um and then I think, we're okay, yep excellent.

A

Everybody get a chance to look at that yep copy. We sort of on the right track. Directionally.

E

I think directly, it's definitely on the right track. I have a question or two yeah.

E

um Here it's on behalf of their residents. Are we intending to also offer community power to.

E

The businesses in portsmouth- yes, so if we say on behalf of their residents should we also say.

E

And businesses yeah right right should yep. Could you give me a copy of that? I gave one to turkey.

C

I'm I'm wondering if we just cut looking at the introductory language for the survey.

C

Do we want to just lift that paragraph? So it's the same.

A

I just um I thought I tried to shorten. It was my name to keep it on a postcard, so here we're.

C

Saying on behalf of residents, businesses and municipal accounts, so that's fine yeah.

B

I spoke with a ben van camp at the chamber and he would be happy to send out a blast. Oh good, for us.

B

um Stephanie can coordinate, he said, have stephanie coordinate with him. Okay, so super.

A

A

A

Yeah we could send something like this.

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Right, getting we're getting a library of materials, and do we want that eblass to be timed with.

C

The survey because that's to the business community, do you want to put in the qr code.

A

Sure I think so that's better to get as many participants as not right.

E

They may be more of a savvy customer, more focused on their overhead and yeah. They.

A

Made something like this they're, probably using a third party: now they should be yeah.

D

Encounter before I forget um just relative to the eap there's a section in there that we still need.

D

To fill out relative to our load, yes, so before, I think we send it to the cpc that we need to.

D

Get our the our low data from eversource and fill out that table, because I think the right.

D

um Yes, that kind of gives a nice summary and cpc and h is kind of looking for that as well. So.

D

I mean we can send it along to henry saying that's forthcoming or but that's a kind of.

D

An important section that way it's not filled out yet right and you and I talked there's a.

A

We have a deadline right to to yeah, so, um as I think this friday, peter fritz can do.

D

That second request to get more granular information from eversource and then they.

D

Have they have, I think, a few weeks to turn that around okay, but um so stephanie? We need to be in.

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Touch with peter to make sure that lagging, can you let me know, and I can bother someone good.

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We got a guy on the inside. We've already got the guy who used to do it. They're they're.

D

Working with the utilities now cpcnhs there's because there's a lot of a lot of work, kind of.

D

Leading up and so they've all three utilities in the state are now working with cpc, good.

A

um So uh we'll say: residents, businesses and municipal users.

A

And stefan you and I can finalize this- I'm sure whichever vendor we work with, can.

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Make it artistic? What do we want.

C

Him in front of the postcard do we want the chart, this graphic, that we have in the.

C

Survey either the benefits of community power or the. What is.

A

Anybody got good inspirations on that. I might be able to combine those two if we're so it's.

C

Are you thinking, uh six by nine or whatever the larger size, postcard.

C

Is yeah that sounds right, so we could theoretically look at these.

C

Two graphics on the survey put the two of them together on the front.

G

Benefits better just because I think the graphics are larger, the font might be larger, too yeah. So.

G

Squeezing too much small font together right, isn't that a good idea, I think and benefits, is.

C

Always capturing yeah benefits and also, I think we cover all the bases there with those icons too.

G

But yeah yeah one of the things that might be helpful. If you're going to put like this on the.

B

Front of the postcard um is to also include maybe the website for the energy advisory committee.

B

Because people see this and then they're like what is this? Yes, you know it would be helpful.

B

For them to be able to look it up, for that matter, can we have the city seal somewhere.

C

Yeah, I I'm as you're saying that um how about the community power logo since they're both.

C

Round logos that on the left, so do you see them on the right website? The middle, perfect yeah.

G

Well, I'm also a big proponent of having a phone number to call.

G

Because you know careful what you wish for, I think you should be surprised how few calls you get.

G

uh I mean as a state rep I can tell you. I put my phone number everywhere and if I get.

G

One call a month: it's a lot, okay. So so what I'm saying is there are people who uh either are not.

G

That savvy don't go online too often and they get this postcard and it says you know if you.

G

Want more information, you can go to this website, you can go as link or you can call this number.

G

And let me I don't care which number we give out, but but somebody there should.

G

Be some way of contacting a real human being if you want to or an email address, doesn't.

D

Do a real human being yeah email address sure I think he's going for the lower tech, demographic.

A

Yeah, I know that when we did the mcintyre survey, we put a phone number on it and it.

A

Was busy so well if we can get as much interest in this as my guitar, then we're in good shape.

B

Well, the bigger challenge would be having somebody on staff who could who's available to answer.

A

Questions yeah and could answer those. It ended up being the city manager's, two assistants for.

G

The better partner, a number that you call and- and somebody will get back to you with an answer, so it.

G

Doesn't necessarily have to be a person that right then, and there answers that question, but somebody.

G

Will get back to that person with an answer, and you know we got to look at this. As you know, we're.

G

Gaining one customer at a time, if we explain this to somebody, you know how often you get to interact.

F

With that person, because emails and and websites they're not interactive, really they just you know.

G

One-Way directional and you can't have a discussion or dialogue, or you can't have.

G

A follow-up question because, okay, it just says one one: if it's not a frequently asked question.

G

It's not a question you're answering here's. My concern, though you know with twelve thousand.

A

Postcards yes, you know, even one percent is 120 phone calls, um whereas if we did email.

A

I think that's more realistic with staff yeah. Well, I'm just thinking you know 120. Those are.

G

120 people with whom we interact and we get feedback from you know if something's confusing.

G

For people and and out of the 120 20 people call us, because this is confusing. That's good feedback.

G

Yeah, I I think the challenge would be that we don't have the staffing so handle the volume.

B

For that understands the program effectively enough, um because peter britz can't take all.

B

Those phone calls and stephanie's not sitting at a desk all day right, so it's jessica and you.

A

Know the city yeah, it could be a member of our committee too yeah. You know if it was going to.

B

Be anyone it would have to be right. Somebody who sits on this committee, which you know to me, argues.

A

For email, because then you can, you don't have to respond in real time if you're getting out.

A

Of the shower the phone rings or something like that so yeah and there's a possibility.

C

To phone someone, when you get a question on email, I set up the hotline at cityofportsmouth.com, email.

C

During the pandemic- and we were bracing ourselves for getting a barrage of questions and we didn't.

C

But that email continues and every now and then I will get a question about who knows.

C

What which I can either answer- or I refer it to the person who can, but I always tell the person.

C

Who's written either the answer or I've referred that and please you know I will keep on this so.

C

You get your answer, and so we could use that email or we could even I mean to ben's point.

C

About the url we I can ask alan to set up a peac at city of portsmouth. If you want to do that, you.

A

Yeah that'd be good, even if there was a form fill on the peas on the committee's side of like a form.

B

You could fill out again if you don't understand and you needed more information, yeah yeah.

C

um Because, on several of the dpw project pages, there is a if you have a question or concern.

C

Just put it here in the the form: that's right on that page, so I could do that tomorrow and.

B

The people will call the city clerk's office and ask, and that's that's what I think usually.

B

Happens, people call the city, clerk's office and said I got. I got this in the mail. I don't even.

B

Know what this is that'll happen and they'll direct them somewhere right and, in addition to.

D

Providing the city uh website or our committee's website, you might want to put the coalition's.

D

Website on there, too, just yeah it's just another way. If, for those that are inquisitive, they'll go.

D

Out to the cpc and h website and poke around see what right see what it's all about make.

D

It easy for them to get there so the front of the card we've got benefits of community power.

A

And the logos and the webs both websites, both websites, the back we've- got some copy.

A

And uh and the qr code right right so then we just have to find out. Who can do it and.

A

When they can do it and how much it'll cost all right I'll get you those numbers on the.

A

uh I did uh um it says on here too, or you can send those questions. So that's through the.

A

Survey form, oh, so there's going to be the survey this survey is going to let you send something.

B

Off the taper: yes, when you get to the stage where you're riding the op-ed.

B

If you're interested, I did reach out to julie gilman in exeter, they are willing she's willing to.

B

To work with you on anything, so it doesn't have to be for this one, but I'm yeah. I will put you in.

B

Touch with her great, so I guess they're willing to work with us on something. Yes, I know her and.

A

I'll be happy to work with it, that'd be great uh stephanie. These are some counts. Okay, eastern.

A

Marketing, I think it's 13 100 addresses if we do businesses and eleven thousand five. If we.

A

So I think counselor the thought was, the op-ed could be.

A

A double byline kind of for the whole sea coast, yeah, okay, something to get more attention. Yes,.

B

um So I don't know if it's this one, that's talking about the survey or, if it's another, one that you want to do, but now that the election's over, I imagine that she probably has a little more time. Yes,.

A

um Okay, more on the survey, I think we got our steps in line. I'm gonna.

A

Share a copy with the council just for information purposes, so that.

A

They don't hear about a survey at every home that they don't know about.

A

A

Publicity and engagement- our big item, do you all, remember stephanie's flow chart here for us.

A

Let's see in what we have done.

A

We've had two interviews and articles in the herald and you may have seen kevin.

A

Was in after business review, we did meet with the sustainability committee and share ideas with them.

A

Councilor cook was great. She went to the new hampshire, saves button-up event and spoke for us.

A

There were 24 participants and uh I've actually already heard from one that.

B

Was thrilled with the event made a point of reaching out to me, nice.

A

Nice in december, we've got community survey and plan the public hearing for january.

A

The deliverables of the op-ed.

A

um Press release and calendar listings.

G

C

You know: do a press release draft.

C

In advance of doing the survey, as well as notifying council right.

A

A

We had a piac work session december 8th, listed.

A

Maybe that was to plan the public hearings.

C

That we have the december 8th on the calendar as this committee meeting. Okay.

A

All right so we'll plan on we'll plan on planning at that one.

A

But you know most of the items that we've said. We're going to do were we've gotten done so.

A

And then we got a little help from new hampshire business review and.

A

A union leader I mean cpcnh is getting it's been a publicity machine, they've been.

A

A

Any other thoughts or questions about our engagement plan.

F

Moving right along the council of the public hearings, where would they be held? Is that.

D

Here in this city, hall are just curious where you uh we can held them wherever we'd like okay.

A

The chamber would be great: the city, the council chamber.

A

Because it's set up for it and easy to record.

A

So we'll have to see about that. I I suppose we could do it in here as well.

A

Depending on this room's.

A

Did you have thoughts on where we should? No, I just just curious.

D

Curious, um you know the larger chamber would be wonderful. I think, depending on.

D

The attendance yeah right right.

A

Yeah, once the survey goes out, the storm breaks.

A

Then we follow up with community forum and then the public hearings was our plan.

A

But again I you know the goal is to get to where, when people are receive notification about.

A

Portsmouth community power being their default supplier, it's not a surprise.

A

We can get to that point.

A

Then we're then we're going to be.

A

Going to be so, it's more work now, but if we don't do it, it's more work later.

A

The risk management policy and cost sharing kevin did you wanted to handle that for us or sure.

D

So there's four policies actually that are in flight right now. One is the the risk.

D

Management policies around procurement, um one is around financial reserves.

D

That the communities will be looking to build up generated by the rate structures, then there's.

D

A policy around rate setting and those are all embedded in one one document right now.

D

um And I think it's been passed around right yeah, you shared that and then the then there's one on.

D

The cost sharing how the cost of cpcnh will get allocated back to the to the member communities.

D

So that is in flight and their ascend analytics who's. The one firm that's doing the procurement.

D

Portfolio management for cpcnh they're also developing these policies for um for cpcnh as well.

D

They they're going through the review process right now. Legal review and counselors shared.

D

Kind of the schedule out over the next month to continue to review these in draft to bring then.

D

Finally, before the cpc and h board in december to get approved, there's going to be a couple.

D

Evening sessions that were in that calendar that um that member community advisory committees can.

D

Zoom into to get updates on the policies and better understand the content.

D

It's particularly important for the wave one communities, because.

D

Their city, councils or towns need to sign off on those policies soon.

D

So it's the involvement by the by the energy advisory committees of the wave one community.

D

Communities- it's almost like so-called mandatory for them to engage over the next few weeks.

D

But for us it's um it's not mandatory, but it I think it's helpful for us all to kind.

G

Of begin to get steeped in the content of these documents, yeah so uh yeah, and if they.

A

Have it boiled down to a powerpoint or something that yeah, so the ascent had offered to.

D

Because these documents are 20 30, 40 pages and they're pretty dense. So I think, for these kind of.

D

Public sessions that are being held they're, going to at least have a powerpoint presentation that.

D

Gives the general content, but so I'm on the risk management committee and though that's.

D

The committee that's kind of working through this, so I'm I'm, uh you know a little bit close to it.

D

But it's it's uh there's a lot of smart people that are close to this that are in working on it.

D

The consultants that are supporting us and send again legal support for cpcnh and everything so.

D

um So yeah and I.

A

You know in terms of what was.

A

The parameters for risk and everything uh and and the cost sharing I didn't.

A

See anything that you haven't told us was coming, I mean it all seemed to be consistent.

D

Yeah so there's there's a lot of editing going on and um just different eyeballs looking at it.

D

There's refinements and edits and etc, et cetera, but uh you know I'm particularly in your space.

D

You know you might particularly the power procurement risk management. You know you'd.

D

Probably uh take a look at it, you know you had questions, I have questions. I thought.

E

I mean I'd be interested to read it yeah so feel free to pass them along and and we'll.

D

Anything anybody that will kind of get them into the into the process. Okay, council, um I just have.

B

A question around um clearly development of all these policies and clearly, once they're developed.

B

We won't be reopening then, to negotiate anything in them later so. The second wave, for example, we'll.

B

Just have to adopt the existing policies. Does it does it make sense at all to have legal here.

B

Look at them now and provide some input. I just I just know that the legal department in portsmouth.

B

Will want to see them, and I don't know if they're going to want to answer them. We should yeah yeah.

B

I just want to make sure that we don't put ourselves in a situation where we just have to.

B

Accept and didn't have any input later right right, that's a good uh because there really hasn't been.

D

Discussion specific to local city in town, legal departments, reviewing it's just more or less that.

D

The local city in town councils, etc right need to approve them um so I'll I'll. Ask about that. Yeah.

B

I think that portsmouth is unusual because we're the city right, it's in the group and.

C

um So we have a fairly robust legal department. Yep yeah and wave nash was in wave one.

D

I couldn't think of any of the other larger cities. I think that nashville is the largest but um I'll.

D

Ask but you know what the protocol is for, how they're going to factor in legal review by like.

D

Maybe the assumption is just for city councils and towns to approve they would just by default.

D

Have their legal group right before they would sign off on them? Yeah I've just been hate for our.

B

Look, we have a problem with this line later right, yeah.

A

And we've reviewed everything else. That's been a a commitment we've entered with cpcnh. We.

A

The joint powers agreement went through legally legal yeah.

D

The legal group that's supporting cp cnh is super impressive, they're based in dc. It's.

D

Duncan weinberg yeah and uh natalie involved, it's a michael postar, one of our partners he's.

D

The main guy, but he's he's working extensively with cpcnh, okay, almost on a daily basis. Right now,.

D

Because, in addition to that, just a quick little, the contracts for ascend analytics calpine energy.

D

Solutions and the contract with cenh- those are probably 90 percent done. At this point,.

D

um Their you know the master agreements and the statements of work, and these contracts need to be.

D

Kind of integrated to make sure the because the different entities are supporting one another.

D

So um those are very close to completion.

D

And but those entities, as mentioned at counselors today, um all those entities.

D

Are full steam ahead working for us, so they're not waiting for the contracts to get finalized.

D

um There's their project plan is loaded, and these these groups are working on a day-to-day basis.

D

Right now to get ready for launch, even though the contracts aren't aren't finalized yeah, because I.

D

Think they're, just you know totally confident they're going to get over the goal line. Yeah.

A

Yeah- and we just have to recognize the time you're putting in and the good work you're doing on.

A

The risk committee, the ceo search committee, and um what was your third one.

D

Oh you're, on the I'm working on the cal pinecon retail customer services. Right it's a little bit.

D

Of background right so great, it's all good, it keeps you know, I think, for us in the city.

D

It's good to stay connected to what they're doing, there's a lot of moving parts, but I just continue.

D

To be super impressed by the by the consultants that they're working with and the the the vendors.

D

That they're contracting with and the consultants that are supporting it, samuel, golding and henry.

D

Stone does a great job, but so you know, I think we I have a high degree of confidence in the just the.

D

Professionalism of what this group is doing, right and they've done it at other places too yeah yeah.

D

But just the the depth and the due diligence that is going on is the rubble hit the road in terms of.

D

When they go out to the market and see what the prices look like, but uh absent, that everything's.

D

I think coming together, pretty well yeah. It's exciting, exciting um questions for kevin. On that.

A

On the risk management policy and the cost sharing plan, I mean I might take away from.

A

The cost sharing plan was there's going to be slivers in the rate for.

A

Each of those shared services and overhead, and that that's not a surprise, we knew that.

A

There'd be no money up front that this would all be taken out of the.

A

The billing charge and.

A

It's going to be allocated based on our percent of the load. At this point.

D

Yeah there's different allocation methodologies, depending on what the cost is. The other two things.

D

That they have not gone out to well they've gone out to one for accounting services, so they're.

D

Going to be hiring an accounting firm and then an auditing firm. So you know the there's going to be.

D

A obviously a separate organization, that's going to be handling all the numbers and handling the.

D

Costs sharing back to the communities right and then they'll be an independent auditing.

D

Firm on that as well and those those groups have not been identified yet right now, they're just.

D

Kind of setting up the process, but then there's going to be two other firms that they hire. That.

D

Are actually going to be administering at all right, independently yeah, great.

A

Okay, net metering: for those of you who have plowed.

A

Through the aggregation plan to the net metering, section and appendices.

A

There's uh there's a description of how cpc and h1 wants to handle that, and I.

A

Asked ben for some help, so we could understand it and what the policy implications are for us.

E

Great well thanks, yeah um councilor tabor asked me to review the section of the plan that talks.

E

About the intent for the power plan to treat net metering also included some background around.

E

New hampshire's policies and and regulations, and some of the choices and considerations and.

E

Additional statistics around how net metering could be advanced through community power.

E

So if you wouldn't mind advancing to the next just wanted to start off by offering up some.

E

Basics in case anyone is not as familiar with net metering but generally speaking,.

E

We're talking about solar photovoltaic resources. These are solar panels. You.

E

Know on your house, maybe they're separate. You know on an array. You know on some.

E

Structure, you know on your property, etc and folks that have solar panels don't have to participate.

E

In that metering, but a lot of them do because they're good benefits associated with doing so.

E

And so we're talking about the subset of customers at large that have solar panels that participate.

E

In net metering and they participate in a program with their utility and in our state, most of the.

E

Time we're talking about eversource the way that net metering works generally speaking, is that when.

E

You generate power locally; it in effect serves to run your meter backwards with the utility. That's.

E

Where the word net metering came from or the concept came from, and sometimes in the trend, more.

E

Recently has been many times not just sometimes, but historically it was meant to just offset your.

E

Usage, you would size your facility to be roughly commensurate with your personal consumption and.

E

Now the trend is to have bigger and bigger solar facilities that are perhaps bigger than your.

E

Individual usage and to go even further, we have this idea called group net metering where instead.

E

Of maybe it's just one house with solar panels on top we're talking about a separate facility. That's.

E

Relatively large, when it comes to solar, votable take and you can band together as a group of.

E

Customers and have the facility- that's relatively large, offset everyone in the group's consumption.

E

And um there's this thing called a renewable energy certificate when you generate power with.

E

Your solar array, you generate a megawatt hour of electricity over a long period of time, because.

E

These are small facilities, but with one megawatt hour, there's also one attribute or certificate.

E

And that can be sold separately and in new hampshire. Everyone gets to keep ownership to.

E

The rights to sell those attributes on their own, those are not part of the net metering program.

E

And if we could go to the next slide now that we've talked about just some basics,.

E

um The state about five years ago changed its approach. I think, when the program first started.

E

The program provided full compensation, if you will uh everything, that's in your full retail.

E

Rate, not just the supply, but your transmission distribution uh stranded costs regulatory costs.

E

System benefits the whole kit and caboodle um and then, after some time that program was adjusted.

E

So that you still get your supply component back, if you have net excess generation or net surplus.

E

Generation but uh the incentive around some of the components of the transmission and distribution.

E

Portion of the bill, those don't come back to you anymore. Under the newer version, the net metering.

E

2.0, if you will- and that's true for let's to me, they're very small but 100 kilowatts- is.

E

That would be enormous for a house but um trying to make a distinction between 100 kilowatts as.

E

The threshold for receiving this kind of treatment, everything below that that threshold is what I've.

E

Talked about if you're above 100 kilowatts but below a thousand kilowatts or a megawatt you're.

E

Not getting any piece of the tnd portion of your bill back you're, just getting the supply component.

E

And just a good question on that yeah I mean part of that change was because.

D

You in the earlier programs, you had customers that weren't.

D

So-Called adequately contributing to the cost of the distribution system.

D

They were kind of getting a free ride in terms of that the reimbursement they were getting for.

D

All the other items beyond supply, they weren't contributing to the the cost of the distribution.

D

System adequately, that's one perspective. That's certainly part of the consideration there.

E

um I think that uh there are some interesting issues around the federal power act and sales.

E

For resale and if you're going to sell power again, who has the ability to set the rate in.

E

Theory, if you're selling power for resale that's a wholesale rate, subject to federal jurisdiction and.

E

There's a carve out under federal law for purpa or you know, qualified certain qualified facilities.

E

Historically, it was combined eaten power, it became other things that has an avoided cost and there's.

E

These long detailed proceedings around what avoided cost means, but you're right some folks.

E

Some people believe that if you get the whole entire retail rate back, that is a very generous.

E

Policy- and uh there are some folks that don't have solar- they pay their retail rates and whether.

E

They are receiving the full benefits of that arrangement or not has certainly been part of the.

E

Conversation there are others, I don't know. If it's you know worth opening up that again, it was five.

E

Years ago, in new hampshire, but um I think the idea is that there are some customers that had a raise.

E

Before 2017 and they're under the net reading 1.0 program, that's a little more generous in terms of.

E

The compensation and we'll talk about settlement on the next slide, because I think the settlement.

E

Piece is really what's truly uh relevant to the conversation and the community plan.

E

um Then could I just add, you have courses comment because just to complement.

G

The pro and con of both sides- some have argued. I think sensibly, that when you, when you're.

G

Providing net meter power into the distribution grid, it requires the utility to have to bring.

G

Less energy, through its its distribution and the transmission grid and the transmission grid.

G

Is something based on the usage in the entire? Let's say, let's say: new hampshire, for example,.

G

Each state, so if you can reduce the need to go through the transmission grid as much.

G

It reduces the transmission costs for everybody in as a customer, regardless of whether you have.

G

Net metering or not, you get a benefit from that reduction which you're not contributing.

G

To but somebody is yeah, so that was one of the discussions. How is that being compensated when.

G

That happens. I mean right now. When you have small amounts, it doesn't make that much difference, but.

G

The minute you get more and more, there will be a bigger impact and the neighboring states.

G

Around us, like vermont massachusetts, others have demonstrated that they can push down.

G

Their transmission costs and if we don't uh new england, distributes the transmission costs to.

G

Each state based on their total consumption, so if those guys are reducing their total consumption.

G

We're not we're paying a bigger percentage than we used to. Let's say I think, we're paying. Maybe.

G

At one percent more than they are because for the equivalent amount, because we're not reducing it,.

G

As much and re, the reduction happens because of these net metering uh customers, essentially so.

G

So there's a back and forth and that's not to even get into the ancillary benefits of.

G

You know renewable energy as such health quality environment, all that other stuff, which is not at.

G

All compensated in any way so but that's you know, that's another story. Okay, thanks and I agree with.

E

All of that, and that it historically has been true when the systems were sized commensurate with the.

E

Consumption, but when you oversize them and they're five to ten times what your house consumes, we're.

E

Now, having to rebuild the distribution system all over the region to accommodate backwards.

E

Flows and pushing power back up onto the grid, so you're right. If you can offset your consumption.

E

At the time of the system peak, you pay a smaller percentage of the annual transmission bill. You're.

E

Absolutely right, but it gets complicated quickly and incidentally, since I have solar collectors, I'm.

G

Doing this and I'm on spreadsheet, to see what's going on, uh I don't I I I generate. Maybe 50 of.

G

My need based on what I have, uh but then you got to remember uh during the day when I'm actually.

G

Generating something and consuming at the same time, if I look at just that, I'm only consuming.

G

30 percent of my my energy directly during the day and at night time. Of course, I have to get energy.

G

From somewhere from the grid, and so uh uh the the, unless you have some way of storing it so.

G

I could use it at night time you have to buy one of these batteries that we're going to be.

D

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm getting at, so that's where the battery would come in. If I can store my.

G

Excess energy that I have instead of putting it into the grid in my own battery now I can offset.

G

My nighttime consumption, when the sun's down, or it's raining or something so anyway, and about.

E

Five years ago the state changed its incentive program and when we get to the next slide, please.

E

There's also the treatment of your net surplus or net access generation. Historically it just you.

E

Racked up credit in terms of kilowatt hours, maybe you'd whittle into them later on when you had some.

E

Consumption at another point in time, but they just kind of rolled over into the future and at the end.

E

Of the year just to clear the books and start fresh, they would cut your check if you wanted to.

E

um Not at the greatest rate, other states had done other things, but um unsafe legal ground.

E

They would cut you a check once a year and that has effects on other things, like the state rps.

E

Program, because that has an impact on how much the utility is required to buy in terms of wrecks.

E

The new approach is to instead of rolling that kilowatt hour, that balance forward now at the.

E

End of the month, they're going to cash you out at the prevailing rate and because they've cast.

E

You out maybe a little more frequently you're less likely to at the end of the year kind of.

E

Have almost you know, we're clean and that's good, so it may have tax implications. It may.

E

Have implications associated with um how you you know how many wrecks the utility is supposed to.

E

Buy and so these are potential impacts associated with the program that as we go to the next slide,.

E

Proposes to treat the settlement as if we were under the original or net metering, 1.0 approach.

E

It's unclear exactly what they plan to do for the compensation piece of things. But, as I read.

E

It and sorry for the eye chart there, but I wanted to use the exact words from the plan.

E

As I read it, the transmission and distribution stuff that kind of changed from one program to.

E

Another it sounds like. Maybe the plan is to leave that alone. I think, but on the supply.

E

Side of the bill, which just you know, regardless of your size, you're still going to get that back.

E

If you potentially have uh one rate under the net metering and then portsmouth community.

E

Power has a different supply rate. There may be a difference in how much one could be compensated.

E

For net surplus generation and to the extent that community power wants to be as generous as the.

E

Other program, the existing state utility program there may be some additional costs to consumers.

E

To make that incentive at the level that it had historically been or could be under an alternative.

E

In terms of the settlement, I think the plan is to potentially provide uh dual. You know an.

E

Additional bill so that the folks that want to uh separately keep track of what their net surplus.

E

Generation is they can do that and maybe that's advantations for their tax. You know tax purposes.

E

um But uh importantly, they said that when the exact treatment is going to be set, they'll be duly.

E

Noticed at a public meeting and fully disclosed so that everyone knows, but generally speaking,.

E

They're intending to promote things like group net metering advocate on behalf of net metering.

E

Programs at the state level and to do other things that are you know generally in line with.

E

The values that we've espoused in this program so, um generally speaking, I think that the terms.

E

Of net metering that are contained in the draft plan are reasonable. I just wanted to elevate to.

E

The community that, uh to the extent that there is some kind of additional compensation above.

E

And beyond, or different from and or settlement treatment, that's different from normal settlement.

E

Treatment that you get from the utility, those may have impacts that we will want to keep an eye on.

G

Been just a question um because I'm not sure if it's it's what you're getting at or is it.

G

Just something different, but you mentioned that they're looking at maybe separately, providing a.

G

Separate billing for the net metering component um every time our committee is heard from any.

G

Kind of proposals where the utilities had to make some kind of changes on their billing. They always.

G

Said, oh, my gosh. This is very expensive to make these changes. It's a lot of costs, so I'm wondering.

G

Whether those kind of changes on the billing have a big financial impact or bigger than we think is.

G

As not being a small trivial thing, or is that a significant cost, if they would have to do that.

G

Break it about separately. The way I read the draft plan provisions is that it not necessary it's not.

E

Necessarily the utility that would be providing the additional bill. It could be community powers.

E

That could be providing the additional billing records alpine energy solution. There's provisions.

D

For them most most billing will be rate ready. You know we set our rates as a as a community.

D

Power aggregator. That rate goes to in our case, eversource, to calculate the bill. So it's just.

D

We're giving them the rates, but my understanding is on the net metering that we're going to have.

D

Capability to do dual building and that calpine will handle that. Second, that second billing.

D

Statement for the customer, the one and this this is very helpful. Clifton below he's like a.

D

He's he loves to talk about net metering and he knows that he yeah no, but he he and his very.

D

Like to my new detail, familiar with how it's supposed to be handled going forward, so I've.

D

Had a at a future meeting if we wanted to dial him in for a few minutes, but just give me a few.

A

Minutes but but this the the use of the old 1.0 formula would then be very deliberate on his part.

E

I mean potentially yeah it's. It was more generous in the current regime, but.

A

Well, so what I hear you saying is one that means that.

A

That cost has to be spread amongst all the users. There is a potential.

E

For incremental costs that would need to be allocated opportunity right, but two.

A

um These would be bigger incentives to put your own solar array in yes,.

E

It would in line with our policy goals, that's the trade-off right.

E

And then there's there's the incidental effect on the statewide rps market.

E

If we treat things as they were under net metering, 1.0 in theory.

E

Maybe in the aggregate the utility has to buy fewer wrecks from the market, which.

E

Therefore, has a lowering of the price impact for folks that want to sell them and pick up the money.

E

So we're going to make the program participation, compensation, more generous but maybe have an.

E

Ancillary, you know small diminution effect on what your wreck value is, so some trade-offs, yeah.

G

Today, those wrecks that you generate- let's say here in new hampshire.

G

They're often sold in other states, because the price that you get for a generated wreck.

G

Is different in connecticut than you get in new hampshire, so so what most people do? Is they sign.

G

Up with an aggregator and someone who sells your wrecks in the best possible price market,.

A

It's definitely something to keep an eye on. I mean for myself.

A

I like the fact that.

A

We're we're doing the maximum incentive for people to create more renewable power.

A

Put that into the into the supply.

A

Which advances us on our city policy goal of getting to a net zero community someday.

A

Way down the road, but you know if we're looking at every action that we can take to.

A

Get off of carbon based electricity, this would incentivize it um and.

A

We just have to see how the distortions work from that and, if they're relatively minor and can be.

E

Spread wide yeah, maybe that's you know something that is okay, given that it's consistent with our.

E

Objectives right right, I'd say it would be a good problem to have if we had so many people.

B

Decide to put solar on their homes and go into net metering that we had to rethink.

B

um Plan because of the cost increases to others yeah. That would be a positive thing, because that.

B

Would mean we had a lot of people using solar? Maybe it's a good timer right now, because there.

G

Is lots of money coming from washington for these kind of things right? So this might be a good.

G

Timing for people to make use of those rebates and credits and whatever they're going to get from.

G

Federal government- and I also think it's a it's- an incentive for communities to join.

A

The coalition, you know, if you're a solar panel homeowner- and you say boy, this is a much more.

A

Favorable way to treat my net metering, I want my city or town to be part of cpcnh.

A

um But it probably wouldn't hurt, though, at a future meeting, maybe to carve out 15 or.

D

20 minutes and dial clifton in just uh yeah and for a week you know kind of supplement.

D

What ben just went over and allow us to ask some questions of them yeah. I think.

A

And and that's good for me here for dummies right well, that's good for the coalition.

A

Too, because you know he's just it, 'd be good to have all those ideas tested and.

A

You know I have some engagement on them. I think that'd be good.

A

um It was good ben. Thank you ben. That's great learned a lot.

A

Timeline review.

A

A

uh Kevin it sounds like cpcnh is really starting to hit their milestones.

A

um Are they sort of? Are they from your observation on schedule for the first wave.

D

Yeah, it's tough to they're they're still early on, but it's all coming together and that they have.

D

The broad dates that they know they they have to hit. um I think, there's a lot of scrambling right.

D

Now to to uh get the week to week, schedule going now that these vendors have been brought on board.

D

Right um so you know, I don't think anybody is saying that the schedule is kind of a layup.

D

I think they there's a sense of urgency, but there's also, I think, equal sense of.

D

Activity right, that's that's taking place yeah. So um it's a it's a big undertaking.

A

um And I'm glad we're in the second wave yeah. No, I think it's a good place to it's a good place to be.

D

A fast follower, as you said, that was a good lie, blow up the timeline.

F

C

Is it the last item.

E

Yeah so so, if you just go back to september, we have an open.

D

With the address to open questions with the eversource data, but that was with peter cates.

D

They were kind of requesting it, I think, through more of a initially for other purposes, for the.

D

Use of the city, and now we're going to do a we're going to do a reset with what's going.

D

On on friday, right to the eversource to get more granular information and we'll get that and then.

D

You need to get that right kind of get that into it and summarize and really understand what our.

D

Low data profile is yeah so that that's that's kind of an ongoing open issue but confident once.

D

We get this next request out to eversource, we'll we'll get the data back, that we need.

A

Let's, let's stay in touch with peter, so we make sure did that first thing tomorrow,.

A

The aggregation plan needs the policy addendum or attachment done. I've drafted that.

A

But it's really a repeat of what we've said in our goal: section where we cite the two city policies.

A

That are really applicable here. One is the energy policy from 2018 to be net zero, and the second is.

A

The report from the committee that you were on that committee.

A

That included recommendations of more renewable power generation that the city could do and.

A

Joining an aggregation.

A

That's an element that will will fall in we've got our.

A

History of our committee, attachment done and you've enlightened us on the net metering.

A

Language there's a addendum around that you know we could take that up later, but I don't.

A

Hear any uh discussion about changing that language at all.

D

I mean that's the standard language, that's in the ap for all the communities right.

A

So, um essentially, that that gives us the draft and then it goes back to the coalition yeah. Since.

D

It's probably going to be some number of weeks before we get that data back from eversource.

D

You perhaps could send it along just with the caveat to henry that we're.

D

We're going to update the the chart that has all the load data once we.

D

Get it right just to kind of get the the review going in parallel sure.

A

A

I think at some point uh we want to get a draft into the council's hands.

A

Prior to the public hearings that may be tricky if there's a six, eight or four to.

A

Six week wait for that data we might have to have the council draft not have that data. I don't know.

D

I think peter has data that came back already. It is from his other request, okay, and I think.

D

He was working with henry um to kind of clean that up so so we're close yeah.

A

A

And we talked about the engagement.

A

The contracts are in process with coalition, we get into december, we'll meet on the 8th.

A

And we'll look at the public hearings and the information session to precede those.

D

Just a thought concert for those public hearings. We might want to try to get.

D

Perhaps a henry herndon to absolutely on on his calendar, so he's available, okay on whatever dates.

D

We end up, you know, set those dates earlier sooner rather than later and make sure we get.

D

On his calendar right, we don't have the city council calendar yet so, as we have that well,.

F

A

Yes, ben councilor tabor did we think you might have cruised past. In october the cpa update.

E

What is that? One city council, cpa update? Is that an accountant that's going to review.

D

Computers, community power, aggregation or aggregation to update on the initiative.

D

Oh joe, just updating the the okay, the city council right and I did that. Okay, great yeah,.

E

That must be why you went past it [laughter]. Yes, I didn't know if we needed. You know ernst, young or.

E

No counselor tabor does a really good job of keeping us well informed right.

A

And I'm already on one audit committee.

F

Thank you and I will ask henry what the format is for these public hearings. I don't think I don't.

D

Know if we have that yet do we or do you want to give us something yeah, I think the first one you'd.

A

Want a presentation yeah, I mean I think, he's been through a bunch of these, so there must be.

D

A kind of a template approach to how they are run yeah, I think you'd, want to explain it uh and then.

A

Have public hearing number one and then have public public hearing number two yeah.

D

I'll check with henry allen, I think I have a note on our communications plan and he was.

C

Here for that meeting that he has packaged presentations, I have a note that says: yeah.

C

um Yeah henry slides, yep yeah and we've got december to talk about that.

D

And we've talked at their can um clean energy. New hampshire now is, is being onboarded to be.

D

Supporting and the coalition with all the the member outreach et cetera, et cetera. So I imagine.

D

There would probably be representative c c e n h at our public hearing as well.

D

So that's kind of a role there are starting to take.

A

A

So I think our key.

A

Paths were walking down or finishing the aggregation plan, language getting it to.

A

Cpcnh getting that utility data, that's all the aggregation plan and then our.

A

Survey and information session and public hearings, those two big programs at work.

A

Public comment: we have any do not.

A

Just around the table any last thoughts at this point.

A

As the pace is picking up, what we need to do to be successful,.

E

At the public meeting, if you feel that it would be useful to have someone from the utility come.

E

And talk about whether it does and doesn't mean or any questions around why people are getting.

E

Enormous bills, right now um and let me know I can relay that. Okay and the second thing is.

E

You had mentioned how much work kevin is doing with the coalition, and so I just wanted to say.

E

Thank you kevin for all the work and time you're here yeah. Thank you definitely thank you. Thanks.

A

I think it was probably every day last week, yeah beard has grown.

D

I had red hair when I started.

D

So is just one other thing I didn't mention uh just for the group is there's they're, hopefully.

D

By next week, bringing on an executive search firm who to begin the process for ceo, so that's.

D

Going to go to the board on the 17th, we've been interviewing firms over the past couple weeks.

D

Big national firms and have a firm ready to be proposed and then they'll start the executive.

D

Search with the goal of having a ceo on board for this organization, you know, later or by springtime.

F

Okay, would it make sense just to follow up on our discussion of net metering to have cliff below.

A

Zoom in either december or january continue that discussion um yeah december yeah, okay,.

D

Okay, I can mention it to him. Okay, yeah. I think that'd be helpful to confirm our understanding.

E

Of it yeah, okay, you try and see if we can get a preliminary sense of what the magnitude of some.

E

Of these impacts might be right right, so mechanics and mental impact yeah yeah, it's a sanity check as.

D

Well, as just any general questions of a him relative to the coalition in terms of right.

A

Okay, um a last question to each of you uh just go around: what do you think we need to.

A

Do to be successful at this point guys.

B

Public outreach.

B

And you know it gets comes more difficult after december, because people have a tendency to go.

B

Away or hibernate in the winter and not show up yes at public meetings. So it's going to be very.

B

Hard that hearing in january is going to be really tough. If we don't get the word out in december and.

B

We're not adamant about it right and we need those hearings to be zoom enabled for all the snowbirds.

D

I mean the the public hearings are necessary for us to file the the eap, but then we also.

D

Have the luxury, then of still some more time between then and when we as the city.

D

Go live to continue education right right, so um I agree. Education is the big. The big.

D

Big part, but right we're going to have an opportunity to continue to chip away at it.

D

Over the first half of next year, yeah before we hopefully have our countdown to start our launch.

A

Yeah- and uh you know I I actually pondered.

A

Would it be more valuable to have the survey closer to our launch, but I think.

A

The there is an opportunity.

A

To have some kind of every home information set out that would include the survey results.

A

With some description of where we've been and what's ahead or something like.

E

I think I agree that public outreach is critical for success and the way I had been thinking about.

E

It was that, once we can survey the community and find out preferences, we would take that.

E

Information back and try to develop a menu of different services or rates that we would.

E

Offer right and my thought would be to put those out for notice and comment, and maybe we further.

E

Refine them through a subsequent round of survey or whatever public engagement to further refine.

E

On things, so that we can, just you know, enhance our offerings to maximize our chance of success.

E

Good idea, yeah peter I I totally agree with both council cook and ben. That outreach is the.

G

Key there and- and I think, maybe with the winter months where people might not be getting out as.

G

Much maybe an opportunity would be to try to get in with these local organizations whether.

G

It's the rotary club or something when they have some event where one of us could could.

G

Give a brief, brief presentation as a reminder to everybody. You know that's already coming to.

G

The event specifically for some other reason to get that information out the more we do that in.

G

Different organizations that we belong to or would be invited to the better because.

G

People are going to be indoors and that's a good time to bring their attention to these things.

G

Great, you know um they sound like a kind of a crazy idea, but it's one way to get information out.

B

Easily to residents at least residents with children, you know, if you, you, send a piece of.

B

Paper home with kids from school that um says, you know: hey check out this new initiative from the.

B

City, it's funny how these things happen. You know it's almost all the schools have like a folder for.

A

Kids, that go home once a week with the handouts from activities and things. You know we talk about.

B

The cost of getting news out, but you know you could you could ask the high school eco club to.

B

Stuff folders in the elementary schools and the middle schools to send out information to parents.

A

And no that's a great channel. I've used that in the past yeah we used it for portsmouth, listens.

A

And it you know it got a lot of uptake yeah. It's amazing, though people pay attention to that right.

B

Whereas they might not look in their bill, they might not necessarily look in their mail right.

B

I would want to eat, there's you just on the website. Do we put.

D

Links to like articles relevant articles, like the editorials, your opinion pieces that'd, be great.

D

The union leader article the new hampshire business review, if we, if we start to have.

D

You know a section in there that is, educational, any of the relevant resources community power.

A

In the news page computing power in the news yeah just so you know for those kind of geeks.

D

Out there that are interested in really studying this, they can go out and take a look at it for.

E

That matter, whatever dawn crease, has said about it, you know, as the state's community advocate knowing.

E

That there's someone that doesn't have a dog in the fight that has looked at this very closely.

E

And thinks it's a good idea may be a beneficial thing to do. Yeah. He has a column that he wrote.

A

Or I guess he's got a blog in deaf new hampshire in depth, yeah and uh it's it's very well written.

D

He's got a lot of we kind of cobble those all together and kind of get them on our website. I.

D

Think it'd be right what what about uh maybe some kind of a a contest at the schools for.

G

Young people to imagine a renewable energy future for portsmouth and what we could do in our town.

G

Including all the renewable energy things that are available, whether it's wind or solar, or whatever,.

G

Just to kind of like we were saying when the kids get involved, the parents get involved.

G

Automatically where they want to or not so so maybe this is not a bad way to maybe some kind.

G

Of a contest with some kind of prize or something I don't know, definitely worth considering, yeah.

A

And I have a I'm, I'm overdue for my meeting with the eco club, so oh yeah, perfect yeah.

C

um Memo that the students did to the council.

B

um When they're in the middle school there's a teacher, a particular science teacher that.

B

Assigns a renewables project each year, and so the students come up with an idea around.

B

New, renewable energy and um and then he takes the best ideas and he sends them to send them to the.

B

City, council and the city council referred them to sustainability committee, who sit down and reviewed.

B

Every single proposal and invited the teacher and students in to present them to sustainability.

B

um It was a great opportunity for those students to come in and present.

B

But it was also a great opportunity, then, for the high schoolers who sit on the sustainability.

B

Committee eco club to recruit the middle schoolers into the high school club and to.

B

Kind of continue their service and their stock in that area, but it's you know those sometimes those.

B

Little things have a huge impact and they had some good ideas. They had some wild ideas that.

A

No adult would ever think of no they're great, like uh floating solar panels on the mill pond.

G

No not a bad idea and we we'd all think of all the reasons that can't be done. But.

A

Yeah so but they were very focused on solar and it's funny because the state.

B

Sustainability committee has picked that up and started talking more seriously about.

B

Things like solar over parking, lots and yeah yeah those kinds of projects.

A

Okay, thank you everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

D

Recording stopped.