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Jun 18, 2010 - State to Hold Plymouth 'Beacon Community' Meeting June 28
The State Office of Energy & Planning (OEP) will hold a Community Informational Meeting before the Plymouth Board of Selectmen on Monday, June 28, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. at Plymouth Town Hall. The meeting will provide an overview of the Beacon Community Project, which will help Plymouth homeowners, businesses and taxpayers make large-scale energy efficiency improvements that will save energy and money. before the Plymouth Board of Selectmen on . The meeting will provide an overview of the Beacon Community Project, which will help Plymouth homeowners, businesses and taxpayers make large-scale energy efficiency improvements that will save energy and money.
Plymouth, Berlin and Nashua were named Beacon communities by OEP and will share $10 million in federal grants. The June 28 meeting will provide an overview of the Beacon project, its organizational structure and financing, and the preliminary project schedule.
The Beacon Communities project was developed by the Governor's Office, New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, Public Service of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, The Jordan Institute, Community Development Finance Authority, the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and other members of the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Board.
Jun 15, 2010 - BOD Election Results Announced
PLYMOUTH, NH – Three incumbents and two newcomers won seats on the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) Board of Directors, company officials announced June 10 at the 71st Annual Meeting of Members.
Returning to the Board for three-year terms are Earl Hansen of Holderness (the current Board Chair), Jerry Hopkins of Moultonborough and Georgie Thomas of Belfast, ME and Intervale. Also elected to a three-year term was Joseph Kwasnik of Jackson, who was elected for the first time. A one-year term, created by the resignation of a Board member earlier this year, was won by Harry Viens of Center Harbor. (see complete election results below)
Board members were elected by NHEC members, who cast ballots annually to fill seats on the 11-member Board of Directors. NHEC is a democratically-controlled cooperative. Anyone receiving electric service from NHEC is eligible to vote. This year, more than 9,000 members cast ballots.
The election results were announced at the 71st NHEC Annual Meeting of Members, which was attended by approximately 200 people at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center. Prior to the meeting, members and guests enjoyed a spaghetti dinner donated by the Italian Farmhouse of Plymouth, a member of the Common Man family of restaurants. Donations raised at the meeting totaled over $1,000 and will be donated to the Senior Center.
Founded in 1939, NHEC is a non-profit electric distribution cooperative serving 80,000 members in 115 New Hampshire communities.
New Hampshire Electric Cooperative
2010 Board of Directors Election Results
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3-Year Seats
*Jerry Hopkins (Moultonborough)
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5,756
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*Earl Hansen (Holderness)
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5,131
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*Georgie Thomas (Intervale)
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4,970
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*Joseph Kwasnik (Jackson)
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4,767
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Nathaniel Sullivan (North Conway)
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4,462
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Scott Meyer (Plymouth)
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3,727
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Carol Friedrich (Wentworth)
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3,513
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1-Year Seat
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*Harry Viens (Center Harbor)
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3,284
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Eldwin "Ed" Wixson (Plymouth)
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3,146
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Jeffrey "Steve" Kahl (Plymouth)
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2,360
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*Elected to Board
May 18, 2010 - 71st Annual Meeting & Spaghetti Dinner Is Thursday, June 10
PLYMOUTH, NH – The 71st Annual Meeting of Members of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) will be held Thursday, June 10 at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center in Plymouth.
A spaghetti dinner, donated by the Italian Farmhouse of Plymouth, will be served starting at 5 p.m. A suggested donation of $5 will support the Plymouth Regional Senior Center. The business meeting itself starts at 6:30 p.m. All Co-op members and guests are welcome to attend.
At the Annual Meeting, NHEC members will hear about the financial performance of the Co-op in 2009 and have the opportunity to pose questions to the company’s management and Board of Directors. The results of the Board election will also be announced. There will be door prizes for all attendees and a post-meeting raffle.
Members are asked to RSVP by calling 1-800-698-2007 if they plan to attend.
May 17, 2010 - Voting Opens for Five Seats on Board of Directors
PLYMOUTH, NH – Members of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) received ballots by mail the week of May 10-14 as voting opened for five seats on the company’s 11-member Board of Directors.
Members have until Friday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m. to return their completed ballots. Election results will be announced at the Co-op’s Annual Meeting, which will be held Thursday, June 10 at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center in Plymouth.
The departure earlier this year of one Board member has created a one-year vacancy on the Board. Three candidates are running for election to this position. In addition, seven candidates are running to fill four three-year seats on the Board. As required by NHEC bylaws, all candidates are members of the Cooperative.
Candidates have two ways of getting their names on the ballot. The first is to be nominated by the NHEC Nominating Committee, which reviews the qualifications of each candidate and recommends those it feels would best contribute to the successful operation of the Cooperative. The second method is by petition bearing the signatures of at least 100 qualified NHEC members.
This year’s candidates selected by the Nominating Committee to run for the open three-year seats include incumbent Board members Earl Hansen of Holderness, Jerry Hopkins of Moultonborough and Georgie Thomas of Belfast, ME, who has a seasonal residence in Intervale. Board member Robert Johnson of Moultonborough will not be running for re-election as Co-op bylaws require him to step down after 15 consecutive years of service. The Nominating Committee has nominated Joseph Kwasnik of Jackson to fill the seat currently held by Johnson. Candidates running by petition for the three-year seats include Carol Friedrich of Wentworth, Nathaniel Sullivan of North Conway, and Scott Meyer of Plymouth.
The Nominating Committee nominated two candidates to run for the one-year term: Jeffrey “Steve” Kahl of Plymouth and Harry Viens of Center Harbor. Running by petition is Eldwin “Ed” Wixson of Plymouth.
The ballot mailing being sent to NHEC members will contain a brochure with statements written by the candidates themselves, a ballot and a postage-paid return envelope. Ballot counting will take place Monday, June 7, 2010 at Co-op headquarters in Plymouth. Newly-elected Board members will be seated immediately following the Annual Meeting on June 10.
Apr 19, 2010 - Heating System Rebates Now Available
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning received approval from the federal government to offer New Hampshire residents incentives for the purchase and installation of high efficiency home heating systems and/or domestic water heaters.
This program provides rebates for replacement installations of high efficiency home heating systems and/or water heaters in existing homes for current New Hampshire residential electric,propane, oil and natural gas customers.
To be eligible you must purchase, install and operate a heating and/or domestic water heater that meets all applicable efficiency requirements. Complete program details, including a list of eligible heating systems, is available here at the NHSAVES web site.
Due to the limited availability of ARRA funds, the program must terminate when funds are exhausted. Program termination information will be posted on NHSAVES.com website.
The ARRA Home Heating System Rebate Program incentives are effective as of April 19, 2010. Purchases made prior to this date are not eligible for the incentives.
Apr 1, 2010 - Recycle Your 'Fridge, Earn $30
UPDATE 5/24/10: This program is fully subscribed. Funding is no longer available.
New Hampshire residents with an older, second refrigerator or freezer will soon have an opportunity to have it picked up and recycled for free, saving them an average of $150 a year in energy costs while earning them a $30 reward.
But they’ll have to act quickly. Beginning April 15, this offer from NHSaves will expire on June 30, or when funding runs out. The goal is to have people rethink how much they really need a second refrigerator or freezer, which are typically kept in basements and garages for extra storage. However, what many people do not realize is that the convenience of chilling an extra six-pack and some leftovers can come with a steep price. Refrigerators and freezers manufactured before 1990 can use three times more electricity than newer appliances. And that can burn up to $150 a year in extra electricity costs.
To be eligible for a free pickup at their home, NH residents must have a refrigerator or freezer in working condition and must be a minimum of 10 cubic feet in size. Residents can not only start saving money, but instantly qualify for a $30 incentive reward, no purchase necessary. Scheduling a pick up is quick and easy – simply call 1-877-545-4113, or click here for online details after April 15.
NHSaves' contracted recycler, JACO Environmental, will safely extract various toxic components that are found inside refrigerators, including contaminated oils, mercury and CFCs that both deplete the ozone layer and accelerate global warming. JACO’s process safely returns 95 percent of older units back into the recycling stream, too, saving on limited resources.
NHSaves is making this program available to all NH residential electric customers. NH Saves is a partnership of the four NH electric utilities: New Hampshire Electric Co-op, National Grid, Public Service of New Hampshire and Unitil Energy Systems, Inc.
Mar 4, 2010 - February Wind Storm Causes Extensive Damage
PLYMOUTH, NH – Seven days after a storm packing near-hurricane force winds swept over much of the state, power has been restored to all members of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC).
It’s likely that crews will be repairing individual services and making temporary repairs permanent throughout the weekend and NHEC is urging members who may still be without power as of today to call the Outage Reporting Line at 1-800-343-6432.
At the height of the February 25-26 storm, approximately 45,000 members – more than half the Co-op’s membership – were without power. This represents the second largest number of outages ever experienced by NHEC, behind the 2008 Ice Storm that knocked out power to 49,000 members. At the height of this recent storm, more than 300 separate outages were reported in 86 of the 116 towns served by NHEC.
Large sections of the NHEC electrical distribution system sustained damage as a result of falling trees and limbs, especially in the southwestern, southeastern and central parts of the state. Restoration work got underway in these three areas before the wind stopped blowing. Once the majority of outages were restored in the towns surrounding the Co-op’s Sunapee and Plymouth service areas, line crews joined the effort in the company’s Raymond operating district, which was the hardest hit and would be the focal point of the remaining power restoration effort. The towns in that area including Allenstown, Candia, Chester, Deerfield, Epping, Epsom, Lee, Nottingham, Raymond and Sandown experienced system damage that rivaled that of the 2008 Ice Storm.
Preliminary equipment numbers tell the tale of the storm’s scope and damage. Ninety line crews replaced more than 70 broken poles, 80 transformers and 185 cross arms. Trucks delivered 4,700 wire connectors, 650 fuses, 725 insulators, 40,000 feet of primary wire, 12,000 feet of copper ground wire, and 12,000 feet of guy wire to keep up with the demand from the storm-damaged areas. At NHEC’s Plymouth Headquarters, 13,495 calls were received in a seven-day period following the storm. The normal volume for the same time period is about 1,849 calls.
NHEC could not have restored power to its members in this timeframe without help. Answering the call for assistance, 14 electric cooperatives, municipal electric companies and contractors from four states – New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Michigan - sent personnel and equipment to help the massive restoration effort. Those workers were joined by 26 crews of tree trimmers from four different companies. NHEC’s Board of Directors and employees are grateful for their support and welcome the opportunity to return the favor. Housing and feeding the crew that numbered as many as 175 in the Raymond District alone was a logistical feat. Special thanks to Patty and Scott Biederman, owners of Biederman’s Deli in Plymouth, which prepared about 1,200 box lunches for the crews over the course of the restoration effort. Nearly 500 hotel rooms were required over the week to house the out-of-state crews. Special thanks to the Red Roof Inn of Plymouth, which offered deeply discounted rooms for line workers.
A preliminary cost of the restoration effort has not been tallied yet. NHEC will be gathering that information to submit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement in the event that the state is declared eligible for federal disaster relief.
Finally, NHEC wishes to thank its members for their patience. Expressions of support, from a honk and a wave to line workers in the field to the little girl on Lane Road in Chester who handed out Girl Scout cookies to line workers, were especially welcomed by employees as they worked 16-hour shifts to help members recover from the storm’s damage.
Feb 9, 2010 - NHEC Foundation Awards $220,000 in 2009
PLYMOUTH, NH – In a year that saw it surpass the $1 million mark in charitable giving since its inception, the New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC) Foundation awarded more than $220,000 to 39 non-profit groups in 2009.
Founded in 2005, the NHEC Foundation is funded by over 39,000 Co-op members who agree to have their monthly electric bills rounded up to the next dollar with the proceeds benefitting the Foundation.
Grants were made to non-profits across New Hampshire, reflecting NHEC’s broad service territory. Grants were broken out as follows: Community/Economic Development - $23,000; Cultural/Arts - $6,400; Educational - $70,685; Health & Social Service- $116,101; Historic/Preservation - $4,500.
Recipients of some of the largest awards included the New Hampshire Food Bank ($16,888), Society for Protection of NH Forests ($10,000), Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region ($10,000), Whole Village Child Care Center of Plymouth ($7,500), American Red Cross ($5,000 for services provided during 2008 Ice Storm), Pemi Baker Home Health & Hospice ($5,000), New Durham Food Pantry ($5,000 to support building improvements). A complete list of 2009 awards, as well as more information about the NHEC Foundation, is available here.
The NHEC Foundation is the primary source of funding for Project Care, which works in conjunction with social service agencies to assist Co-op members in crisis situations pay their electric bills and avoid disconnection of service. The Foundation also funds the NHEC Chapter of Dollars for Scholars, which last year awarded six $1,500 scholarships to college or college-bound Co-op members.
Feb 1, 2010 - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen Briefed on NHEC Smart Grid Plans
PLYMOUTH, NH – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the headquarters of New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) to learn more about the company’s plans to implement smart grid technologies for which she helped secure funding through federal stimulus funds.
Beginning later this year, NHEC will begin installing the first of what will be a system-wide total of 83,000 “smart meters” across the length and breadth of its service territory. The meters are the backbone of NHEC’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) that will use two-way communications as well as advanced sensors and controls to help reduce members' energy use, improve the efficiency and reliability of the electricity grid, facilitate the connection of distributed generation facilities to the system, and optimize the integration of renewable energy systems.
NHEC’s AMI project will also include a program that is meant to demonstrate the advanced capabilities of smart meters and AMI. Initially, NHEC will replace existing electric meters with new smart meters at 8,000 member homes located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. One thousand demand-response switches will be installed at members’ homes in the demonstration project area. These switches will remotely control devices such as water heaters or thermal storage devices, helping NHEC reduce its members’ peak load, thereby reducing the overall cost of electricity for the entire membership. In addition, 500 in-home displays will be delivered to selected members’ homes, allowing them to understand their energy use patterns, view real-time usage data, historical data and actual costs.
“The potential this offers for choices and the ability of your members to save energy and money is very exciting,” Shaheen said. “I really applaud what you’re doing.”
Shaheen was instrumental in securing federal grants for the project totaling $18.4 million. This total includes a Smart Grid Investment Grant of $15.8 million and a Smart Grid Demonstration Grant of $2.4 million. These grants were awarded by the Department of Energy using funds that are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The grant total will cover approximately 45% of the total project cost, dramatically reducing the expense that will be borne by NHEC’s member-owners.
“ARRA has been one of the largest single sources of funding for energy technologies,” Shaheen noted. “It’s a down payment on what we’ve got to do if we’re going to transition to the new energy economy.”
Given the demand for energy worldwide and the expense of getting new resources to market, NHEC Executive Vice President Ray Gosney acknowledged that electricity costs were likely to continue to rise in the future.
“However,” he said, “this technology will give our members a better handle on how and when they’re using energy. In combination with changes we can make in how our members pay for electricity, it can help offset that increase.”
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01/28/2010
NHEC Now Accepting Applications for 2010 Scholarships
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01/26/2010
February 10 Deadline Set for BOD Candidates
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01/12/2010
Co-op Bell Ringers Raise $3,578
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01/12/2010
'Cut the Carbon' Kits Available at Local Libraries
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12/15/2009
Button Up NH Announces Winter Weatherization Workshops
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10/30/2009
Rate Changes Result in Overall Winter Decrease
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10/21/2009
NHEC Accepting Sealed Bids for Vehicles, Equipment
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09/08/2009
4th Annual Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Nets $6,700
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07/02/2009
Watch 2009 Annual Meeting on Youtube
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06/12/2009
Co-op Members Raise $1,000 for Plymouth Senior Meals
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06/10/2009
At 70th Annual Meeting, Co-op Looks Ahead
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05/04/2009
BOD Election Ballots Mailing to Members
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04/20/2009
NHEC Announces Rebates on Renewable Energy Systems
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04/14/2009
'Capital Credits' to Be Listed on April/May Bills
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04/09/2009
'Red Flag' Requirements Help Fight Identity Theft
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03/09/2009
NHEC Lineman Receives Life Saving Award
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01/29/2009
Feb. 11 Deadline to Apply for Nomination to Board
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12/23/2008
NHEC HQ Closed December 26
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12/20/2008
ICE STORM UPDATES
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12/20/2008
Major Repair Work Complete Following Ice Storm
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11/25/2008
Seeking Candidates for BOD, Nominating Committee
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11/17/2008
Co-op Food Bank Challenge Hits $100,000 Goal, Donations Still Accepted
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10/08/2008
Wind Power to Flow Soon Through Co-op Country
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09/02/2008
Co-op Covered Bridge 5K Results
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07/29/2008
Co-op Launches $100,000 Food Bank Challenge
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06/24/2008
Annual Meeting 2008: Renewable Energy Contracts Announced
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06/24/2008
Reals, Incumbents Elected to NHEC Board
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06/09/2008
Annual Meeting Is June 21 at Loon Mountain
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05/30/2008
NHEC Hosts June 3 Town Energy Forum
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05/07/2008
Seasonal Rate Adjustment Effective May 1, 2008
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04/23/2008
Online Outage Map Goes Live
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03/31/2008
Co-op Aims to Reduce Carbon Footprint
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03/25/2008
NHEC Foundation Passes Half-Million Dollar Mark
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03/06/2008
Ski Partnership Wins National Energy Efficiency Award
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01/29/2008
Committee Sets Feb. 15 Deadline for BOD Nominations
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01/16/2008
A New Home for Squam's Ospreys
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12/13/2007
NHEC Wins National Energy Efficiency Award
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11/27/2007
Lighting Project Brings Out the Stars in Waterville Valley
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09/03/2007
Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Nets $6,000 for Pemi Youth Center
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08/22/2007
NHEC Foundation Awards $46,000 in Grants
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08/22/2007
Co-op Lineman Named 'Huskie Tools Hero'
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08/06/2007
2nd Annual Pemi Youth Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Set for September 1
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07/30/2007
Co-op's Revolving Loan Fund Is Open for Business
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06/18/2007
Annual Meeting 2007 Focuses on Changing Energy Landscape
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06/18/2007
Four Incumbents Re-Elected to NHEC Board
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05/25/2007
NHEC Joins 25x'25 Renewable Energy Coalition
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05/08/2007
68th Annual Meeting to be held June 12 at Plymouth State University
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04/22/2007
Power Fully Restored Following April Nor'Easter
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04/21/2007
APRIL STORM PICS
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04/16/2007
Four Candidates Nominated for Board of Directors
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03/30/2007
NHEC Honored for Board Development
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02/13/2007
Energy Efficiency Puts NHEC in National Spotlight
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01/18/2007
Wanted: Exceptional High School Juniors for 2007 Youth Tour
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01/15/2007
Now Accepting Applications for 2007 Scholarships
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01/03/2007
NHEC Seeks Board Candidates for Nomination
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01/03/2007
NHEC Foundation Grant Brings History Alive
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11/01/2006
Hard Work, Teamwork, Key to Storm Restoration
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10/25/2006
NHEC Foundation Donates $10,700 to NH Food Bank
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10/04/2006
State Announces New Eligibility Requirements for Electric Assistance Program
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09/07/2006
Miller, Westerling Blaze to Victory at Pemi Youth Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K
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07/20/2006
NHEC Receives Grant for Economic Development Loan Program
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06/28/2006
NHEC and Pemi Youth Center Hosted Cooperative Covered Bridge 5K Road Race
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06/08/2006
Annual Meeting 2006: Another Good Year, but Challenges Lie Ahead
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05/25/2006
Mount Cranmore and NHEC Team Up for Energy Efficiency
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05/18/2006
Former Board Member Wins Aiken Award
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04/27/2006
NHEC Honored for Board Development
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04/27/2006
NHEC Board Member Achieves National Certification
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04/27/2006
Renewable Energy Group Gets Boost From NHEC Foundation
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04/03/2006
NHEC Foundation Completes First Round of Grants
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03/14/2006
NHEC to Launch WildBlue™ Satellite Internet Service
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03/06/2006
NHEC Foundation Makes Wish Come True
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02/28/2006
Candidates Nominated for BOD
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02/21/2006
Storm Recovery Complete
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12/16/2005
Winter Heating Assistance
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12/16/2005
Your Space Heating Solution
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