KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene City Planner Mari Brunner joined WKBK’s Good Morning with Dan Mitchell on Wednesday to outline upcoming changes to the Keene Community Power program, including new electricity rates and a shift toward more renewable energy, all taking effect this December.

During the broadcast, Brunner announced that the city will increase the default renewable energy level from 35% to 50%. “So if somebody is currently in the program on the default product, when the new rates go into effect in December, they will be moved to the new default,” she said.

The new default rate will be 12.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, up from 11.47 cents. Customers will continue to have options:

  • Basic (25% percent): 11.20¢/kWh

  • 35% Renewable: 11.58¢/kWh

  • 100% Renewable: 13.89¢/kWh (slightly lower than the current 13.9¢)

Brunner emphasized that unlike Eversource’s rates, which update every six months, Keene’s community power rates will be locked in for two years, providing greater price stability. “The prices are locked in for two years. Last time it was two and a half years,” she noted. “We choose the term lengths each time that we go out to bid, and that affects the pricing that we’re able to get.”

The city secured the new rates in June through a joint bid with the towns of Marlborough and Swanzey. Wilton, which had previously participated, will be exiting the program at year’s end.

An outreach campaign is underway to help residents understand their choices and make any desired changes through the program’s website, keenecommunitypower.com. Brunner added that environmentally conscious customers may be encouraged by the slight drop in the 100% renewable plan: “Anytime you see a decrease, and for people who are mindful of that and really would prefer to buy renewable energy… you’re actually going to see a little bit of a decrease.”

Listen to the full interview here: