Webster is preparing to join the dozens of towns and cities that buy electricity on the open market through the Community Power Coalition. An information session has been scheduled for later this month to let people know it is coming.

Voters at 2023 town meeting approved the idea of Webster entering the program. The Webster Energy Committee has notified Eversource and Unitil, the utilities providing service in the town, and eventually contracted with the Community Power Coalition.

Residents will be mailed details of the program when it starts in March. Everybody is automatically enrolled but can withdraw at no cost. They’ll still get bills from their utility although the energy portion of the bill, which covers the electricity used each month, will be different for those in the community power program. The transmission portion of the bill, which covers the cost of poles and wires, will be the same for everybody.

The community power program allows communities to buy electricity through New England’s wholesale power market, either through private brokers or the non-profit Community Power Coalition. This provides more flexibility than accepting power from regulated utilities that set rates twice a year for the upcoming six months.

As of February, the rate through Community Power Coalition will cost 8.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, which will be 24% less than Unitil’s residential rate and 2% less than Eversource’s rate. It will also provide the option to buy a portion of clean energy at a higher rate.

Webster is one of 13 communities slated to become part of the program in March, with 16 slated to join in June. Many others, including Concord, are debating whether to participate.

Four other towns and cities in southern New Hampshire chose to become part of the community power through private brokers rather than the coalition. They are facing locked-in electric rates higher than those currently offered by their local utility, showing that the program is not a guarantee of savings.

Concord could join the program as early as this summer if the City Council gives its approval.

The Webster information session will be held Monday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in town hall.