How to Switch Electricity Suppliers in New Hampshire: A Step-by-Step Guide for Cannabis Businesses

Eligibility for Therapeutic Cannabis Program accounts

RSA 374-F split generation from delivery in 1996 and opened retail choice to every customer class on eligible wires [nh-rsa-374-f]. Accounts that never enroll take Default Energy Service procured through utility solicitations approved by the Public Utilities Commission [nh-rsa-374-f].

Shopping is available on Eversource PSNH, Unitil, Liberty Granite State Electric, and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative territory [nh-rsa-374-f]. Competitive Electric Power Supplier registration runs through the Department of Energy under RSA 374-F:7 [nh-rsa-374-f].

ATC cultivation, processing, and dispensary meters qualify like any commercial account. RSA 126-X:7 caps registrations at four Alternative Treatment Centers; three nonprofit operators currently run seven dispensary sites [nh-rsa-126-x]. License category does not block competitive supply.

Step 1: Confirm eligibility on your NH utility wires

Check the bill header. If the delivery utility is Eversource, Unitil, Liberty Utilities, or NHEC, the account can shop [nh-rsa-374-f]. Eversource serves roughly 70 percent of the state's electric customers, including Manchester, Nashua, the Lakes Region, and much of the North Country [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. Unitil covers the Seacoast and Concord capital region. Liberty serves Salem, Pelham, Lebanon, Hanover, and parts of the Upper Valley. NHEC is a member-owned cooperative in rural central and northern New Hampshire; members may choose a competitive supplier instead of Co-op Power default supply [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 2: Identify your delivery class and Default Energy Service tier

On Eversource, commercial accounts typically fall into one of three demand-metered schedules [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]:

Rate	Demand threshold	Key delivery features
Rate G	Demand not exceeding 100 kW	Distribution, transmission ($9.84/kW), stranded cost, and reconciliation demand on kW above 5 kW
Rate GV	Demand not exceeding 1,000 kW	$242.13 customer charge; $8.73/kW distribution (first 100 kW), $8.43/kW above; $13.05/kW transmission demand
Rate LG	Above 1,000 kW	$800 customer charge; $7.32/kVA distribution and $13.25/kVA transmission demand; on/off-peak energy charges

Source: Eversource 2026 Summary of Electric Rates [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026].

Default Energy Service prices change on February 1 and August 1 each year [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. For Eversource Rate GV and Rate LG customers, the default energy charge is set month by month within each six-month period:

Month (2026)	Default energy charge (GV/LG)
August	11.862 cents/kWh
September	10.645 cents/kWh
October	10.528 cents/kWh
November	12.119 cents/kWh
December	18.350 cents/kWh
January	19.760 cents/kWh

Source: Eversource 2026 Summary of Electric Rates [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026].

A large default-service customer sees a winter spike of roughly 60 to 85 percent over fall pricing [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. Your bill or the utility rate summary shows which delivery class and default tier apply. A cultivation facility on Rate GV without a supplier contract carries the full monthly exposure.

Unitil and Liberty use demand-tiered general service classes (G1/G2/G3 and G-1/G-2/G-3). Confirm your class on the bill before requesting quotes [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 3: Pull twelve months of bills

Collect a full year of invoices for each meter. Record:

• Monthly kWh by read date
• Peak kW or kVA (Eversource GV and LG use the highest half-hour in the period) [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]
• Rate schedule printed on the bill (G, GV, LG, or Unitil/Liberty equivalent)
• Generation line and cents per kWh (Default Energy Service or current supplier)
• Existing supplier contract end date if applicable

Keep delivery charges separate from generation. Stranded Cost Recovery and the 0.618 cents per kWh System Benefits Charge for NHSaves stay on the utility bill with any supplier [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 4: Find registered suppliers and compare offers

The New Hampshire Department of Energy publishes consumer information on choosing an energy supplier at energy.nh.gov [nh-rsa-374-f]. Request quotes that specify:

• Fixed price per kWh for the contract term, or index/block structure
• Whether ISO New England Forward Capacity Market costs are included or passed through
• Contract length and auto-renewal terms
• Early termination fee
• Consolidated billing on the utility invoice vs. a separate supplier bill

Compare each offer against your Default Energy Service rate for the enrollment month [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. A fixed 12-month contract at 11 cents per kWh beats January default service at 19.760 cents for an Eversource GV account [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026].

Step 5: Review contract fine print

Read before signing:

• Auto-renewal. Many supplier contracts renew at a variable rate unless you opt out within a notice window. Mark the opt-out deadline on a calendar.
• Early termination fee. Fixed contracts often carry a fee for exit before term end. Compare the fee to projected Default Energy Service savings during winter months [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026].
• Capacity pass-through. Confirm whether your quote includes ISO-NE capacity or bills it separately each month.
• Billing format. Some suppliers appear as a line on the Eversource, Unitil, or Liberty bill; others send a separate invoice. Both are valid under RSA 374-F [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 6: Submit enrollment through the supplier

The Competitive Electric Power Supplier submits the switch to your delivery utility [nh-rsa-374-f]. Provide account number, service address, legal entity name, and authorized signatory. The utility processes enrollment for the next meter read. No PUC approval is required for the switch itself [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 7: Verify on the first bill after switch

The first post-switch bill should show the supplier name on the supply line. Delivery charges remain unchanged from the prior month (same class, same demand structure). Compare the billed supply rate to your contract. Discrepancies go to the supplier first, then the NH Department of Energy or PUC consumer assistance division [nh-rsa-374-f].

Step 8: Plan for contract end

Mark the contract end date. At expiration, the account returns to Default Energy Service at the then-current utility-procured rate unless you renew or sign with a new supplier [nh-rsa-374-f]. Default service resets February 1 and August 1; a contract expiring in late January without renewal drops the account onto the highest winter default tier [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026].

Stagger contract end dates across a multi-site portfolio. An operator with seven dispensary locations should avoid having every account roll to default service in December or January [nh-rsa-126-x].

Pitfalls ATC finance teams see on NH meters

Staying on Default Energy Service through winter on GV or LG. Eversource default energy on GV/LG jumped from 10.528 cents in October 2026 to 19.760 cents in January 2026 [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. Uncontracted accounts pay that spike plus $8.73 per kW distribution and $13.05 per kW transmission demand.

Adding canopy without re-checking rate class. A dispensary on Rate G that energizes flower rooms can cross into GV and trigger large per-kW demand lines [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. Re-run load letters before signing a multi-year supplier contract.

One RFP for Eversource and Liberty sites. Multi-site ATCs need separate enrollment per delivery utility. Confirm territorial coverage before portfolio pricing [nh-rsa-374-f].

Budgeting adult-use load that is not legal yet. Medical-only rules still govern September 2026 [norml-nh-hb186-2026]. Size supply to Therapeutic Cannabis Program meters, not hypothetical recreational canopy.

Delivery lines that survive a supplier switch

Only the generation line moves to your Competitive Electric Power Supplier. The utility still bills [nh-rsa-374-f]:

• Customer charge ($242.13 on GV, $800 on LG) [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]
• Distribution energy and demand
• Transmission energy and demand
• Stranded Cost Recovery
• System Benefits Charge at 0.618 cents per kWh for NHSaves [nh-rsa-374-f] [nhsaves-business]

June 2026 New Hampshire commercial power averaged 21.22 cents per kWh versus 14.19 cents U.S. average [eia-epm-5-6-a].

Suppliers may bill consolidated with the utility or on a separate invoice. Outages, meter repairs, and line work stay with the delivery company [nh-rsa-374-f].

February 1 and August 1 reset discipline

Default Energy Service prices change on February 1 and August 1 each year [nh-rsa-374-f]. Re-bid supplier contracts in January and July for GV/LG accounts on monthly default energy [eversource-nh-summary-rates-2026]. Document pass-through assumptions for ISO-NE capacity [nh-rsa-374-f].

Department of Energy supplier registration

Supplier registration is administered by the NH Department of Energy under RSA 374-F:7 [nh-rsa-374-f]. PUC approves Default Energy Service rates [nh-rsa-374-f]. Confirm registration before enrollment [nh-rsa-374-f].

Additional procurement and tariff notes

NH Department of Energy registers suppliers under RSA 374-F:7 [nh-rsa-374-f]. PUC approves Default Energy Service [nh-rsa-374-f].

Where to go next

• New Hampshire commercial electricity rates for utility class tables and Eversource demand charge detail.
• New Hampshire hub for market overview.
• What is energy deregulation for background.
• Contract terms and early termination fees for fine-print review.
• Supplier contract comparison worksheet for side-by-side offer review.

Confirm current supplier registration and Default Energy Service prices on the Department of Energy site and your utility rate summary before signing.