Community Choice Aggregation?

[8gv]

I live in Laconia and today I received a letter from an entity called "City of Laconia CCA" that tells me that Laconia was facilitating an aggregation of the purchase of electricity.

CCA apparently stands for an initiative called Community Choice Aggregation.

The letter refers to "The City of Laconia's Aggregation Committee" and two public hearings held on 11/12/25 and 11/24/25.

The letter also mentions a "Public Information Session" to be held at City Hall in the Council Chamber on 3/12/26.

I am no stranger to buying electricity from a company that aggregates its purchase.

I applaud the effort to do this if it results in lower costs for the residents.

BUT...

THE LETTER SAYS THAT UNLESS I OPT OUT OF THE AGGREGATION I WILL BE PART OF IT.

How the hell is it legal for a third party to enter me into this business relationship WITHOUT MY EXPRESS CONSENT?

To be even more precise, they will to act on my behalf unless I tell them not to by 3/27.

What about LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE AND STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS?

The City of Laconia seal is prominently displayed on the correspondence but the return address for my opt out is Direct Energy in Tulsa, OK.

The opt out card also has a "service reference number" and "Account number" listed on it.

I suppose these numbers may be correct as found on my account with Eversource but how did the CCA or Direct Energy get that info.?

WTAF?

[John Mercier]

I believe the Eversource information is public.
Not sure about the opt out.

[WinnisquamZ]

Totally agree with what you are saying. When I received mine I logged in and opted out. Hope more do the same and numbers aren’t there for this to move forward


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[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

Totally agree with what you are saying. When I received mine I logged in and opted out. Hope more do the same and numbers aren’t there for this to move forward


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I also agree one should not be signed up without providing their strict consent. But, I ask, why wouldn't you want to sign up if this resulted in lower energy costs? And, given you've opted out, why wouldn't you want the initiative to be successful?

[WinnisquamZ]

Because it is being forced upon you without consent by individuals that neither own or maintain the product you are buying. Savings is minimal at best. Between 4-6% of ones electric bill and your personal information name address meter number Eversource account numbers all transferred to a third party that can be sold to others for a profit.


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[BroadHopper]

No current or prior notice of this in the news. I thought it was spam!

[Biggd]

My town of Waltham Ma did the same thing. I opted out but now I'm worried how high the price might go in June.
Eversource is allowed to increase their price every 6 months in Ma, the other companies price is locked in for the year.

[longislander]

New Hampshire law (RSA 53-E) authorizes municipalities to implement opt-out CCA programs. Eligible customers—those on the utility's default service (Eversource in this case)—are automatically enrolled in the aggregated group purchase for lower/more stable rates. The utility continues to deliver power and bill you, but the electricity supply portion switches to the CCA provider (here, Direct Energy via Freedom Energy Logistics).

This "opt-out" model is designed to maximize participation and community-wide savings/bargaining power while preserving choice—it's not mandatory forever, just the default enrollment. Many other NH communities (e.g., Dover, Salem, Londonderry) use the same structure under the same state law.

[thinkxingu]

Merrimack is doing the same thing right now, and I'm alright with it because it saves money.

If it were neutral or more expensive, of course, I'd have been more concerned, but I'm assuming to get the deal they did there had to be the promise of a certain number of people signing up.

That being said, I've been attentive to my electric rates for a while now and have jumped back and forth between Direct Energy and Eversource as prices dictate, so I'm certainly more proactive/aware than many customers, which means some people might miss opting out in the future if the deal goes negative.

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[8gv]

Originally Posted by longislander

New Hampshire law (RSA 53-E) authorizes municipalities to implement opt-out CCA programs. Eligible customers—those on the utility's default service (Eversource in this case)—are automatically enrolled in the aggregated group purchase for lower/more stable rates. The utility continues to deliver power and bill you, but the electricity supply portion switches to the CCA provider (here, Direct Energy via Freedom Energy Logistics).

This "opt-out" model is designed to maximize participation and community-wide savings/bargaining power while preserving choice—it's not mandatory forever, just the default enrollment. Many other NH communities (e.g., Dover, Salem, Londonderry) use the same structure under the same state law.

I see two separate but now conjoined considerations.

1) The opportunity to save money. Who doesn't want that?

2) The opportunity to conduct my business transactions willfully.

But if I just like Eversource or even companies that have names beginning with the letter "E" and wish to forgo the minimal savings I should be able to continue to transact business with them without any action on my part.

To me this is a bad law based on good intentions.

[WinnisquamZ]

Yes


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[Descant]

As noted in the letter, there were public hearings. We (Merrimack) video record all such meetings and they are available on line in several locations. I would expect everybody else does the same thing. Look around the Laconia web site, get your popcorn and relax while you watch.

[WinnisquamZ]

Why should anyone spend one’s time watching videos or attending meetings if they are satisfied with the current situation?


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[John Mercier]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9Rb-KTx-k

[codeman671]

I am hearing that the program in Dover is failing miserably, and people are jumping ship left and right. Personally, I would never join one and will opt out immediately if Gilford tries it. They entice the community in with promises of better rates and it doesn't sound like they are long term savings.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by codeman671

I am hearing that the program in Dover is failing miserably, and people are jumping ship left and right. Personally, I would never join one and will opt out immediately if Gilford tries it. They entice the community in with promises of better rates and it doesn't sound like they are long term savings.

In most cases you can opt out at the end of every year if you aren't happy with the savings. It's just like the cell phone companies and the cable companies, they give you that first year teaser rate and then jack up the rates every year after that, so you have to pay attention to it every year.

[garysanfran]

It may have started on the Left Coast a few years ago. San Francisco switched me, without my knowledge, from PG&E to the SF Green Energy program that was more expensive. I had to go through a confusing bureaucracy to switch back. This was about 10 years ago. Be aware...Lots of bad ideas originate in California.

[retired]

Who comes to turn the power back on when a storm hits?

[WinnisquamZ]

Still Eversource.


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