Liberty Utilities customers can look forward to saving some money on energy bills early next year, after the Public Utilities Commission voted Friday to approve an electric supply rate decrease to 9.76 cents per kilowatt hour.
The rate decrease takes effect Feb. 1, 2024, for Liberty Utilities customers.
The Department of Energy estimates cost savings of $79 per month in energy supply costs for an average residential customer using 650 kWh per month, compared with February 2023.
Gov. Chris Sununu celebrated the decision late Friday.
“Another round of relief for Granite State ratepayers as Liberty Utilities reduced electric supply rates by 56% year-to-year for their customers,” Sununu said in a statement. “Once again, despite national policies out of Washington that have had a negative impact on ratepayers, New Hampshire continues to move energy rates in the right direction.”
Customers of both Eversource and Unitil received early Christmas presents this week, with Eversource saying Thursday it asked state regulators to cut rates, which would save customers about 15% off their bills starting Feb. 1.
That amounts to $22-a-month less for an Eversource customer using 600 kilowatt hours a month.
Starting this February, bills will be $63 a month lower — 33% — for the same monthly usage if the Public Utilities Commission approves the rate request, according to Eversource.
Effective Feb. 1, Unitil customers using 600 kilowatt hours a month will see a monthly decrease of $15.23 or 9.9% on their current rate.
Compared with last February, Unitil customers will pay $91 a month less for the same usage.
The PUC already has approved Unitil’s rate change.
New Hampshire Electric Cooperative’s board will meet Dec. 19 to set its February co-op power rate.
On Dec. 1, the New Hampshire Department of Energy announced the opening of the New Hampshire Fuel Assistance Program to provide vulnerable families assistance with their heating bills, regardless of whether a household heats with electricity or other source of fuel.
