Eversource just got approved for a whopping 16% rate hike, that went into effect Aug. 1. Too many of our neighbors in NH are struggling to keep up with the cost of living right now yet Eversource’s business model demands that they raise our rates again. The last time we saw a huge rate hike, the state got a record number of aid requests. NH does not have protections for ratepayers. Other states have policies that average out energy rates so that when a huge fluctuation happens, ratepayers see the increase incrementally instead of all at once. Some even have incentives for keeping rates low.

In New Hampshire we have NH Saves and we have the Electric Assistance Program, both of which are severely underfunded. With adequate funding, NH Saves could hire more workers, and help a greater number of households. The Electric Assistance Program could use more funding both so they can cover a higher percentage of people’s bills (I talked to a neighbor once who only got $9 in aid on their bill from the program), and so they can help more people as the number of households struggling to pay bills continues to increase. If we are not going to do anything policy-wise as a state to prevent companies like Eversource from requesting ridiculous rate hikes, we must improve the programs that help people afford those rate hikes. Let’s protect ratepayers here, not just big corporations.

Chantelle Rioux

Goffstown