How to Switch Electricity Providers in New Hampshire: Steps, Rights and Red Flags

New Hampshire residents can switch to a competitive electricity supplier while their utility (Eversource, Liberty Utilities, Unitil or the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative) keeps delivering power. The New Hampshire Department of Energy registers suppliers, lists them for residential customers, and offers a comparison shopping page. You typically have between five and eleven days to cancel after enrolling, depending on how you signed up.

This guide explains how electric choice works in New Hampshire, the protections the Department of Energy describes, and a checklist for comparing offers with your utility's default service.

Who oversees electricity suppliers in New Hampshire?

The New Hampshire Department of Energy registers competitive energy suppliers and publishes the consumer guidance on choosing one (Choosing an Energy Supplier). You can reach the Department at 1-800-852-3793 or consumerservices@energy.nh.gov. Utility rates themselves are set through the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission.

The Department publishes a list of registered residential energy suppliers, showing which utilities each one serves. It notes that registration is not an endorsement.

The official comparison page

The Department's comparison shopping page lets you choose residential or small commercial service and then your utility, and compares supplier offers to the utility's energy service rate.

How switching works in New Hampshire

• Default service is the alternative. You can stay with your utility for supply. The Department says the utility's energy service rate adjusts every six months.
• Delivery is unchanged. You still call your utility for outages, emergencies and service questions.
• Billing. You may get one consolidated bill from your utility or two separate bills.
• Delivery is a big share of the bill. The Department says delivery charges usually make up about half to 60% of the total, so a supply discount affects only part of your bill.
• Timing. The Department's FAQ says the change can take one to two months to appear on your bill. The request must reach your utility a few days before your next meter read.

Your rights and protections

Topic	What the Department of Energy says
Cancellation window	You have between five and eleven days to rescind after enrolling, depending on whether you authorized the switch in person, in writing, electronically, or through an in-person solicitation.
Contract end notice	Suppliers are required to notify you no less than 45 days before the end of your contract.
Supplier exits	If your supplier cannot continue service, you move automatically to your utility's default service with no penalty or fee.
Early cancellation	You can cancel at any time, but a fee may apply under your contract. You can ask the supplier to waive it.
Account number	Do not give the account number on your bill until you have decided to switch.

Contract terms and fees

Fixed vs. variable. A fixed-price contract holds the price for a set term. For a variable price, the Department suggests asking what the rate is based on and whether there is a cap.

Recurring fees. Ask whether there are monthly customer charges or other recurring fees in addition to the per-kWh price.

Incentives. Some suppliers offer sign-up bonuses. Weigh them against the price over the full term.

Termination fees. Ask both your current supplier (if any) and your new supplier about early cancellation fees before switching.

Six-month resets. Because utility default rates adjust every six months, compare an offer against both the current rate and what you know about the next adjustment.

Step-by-step checklist: switching electricity providers in New Hampshire

1. Find your energy service rate and usage. They are on your bill. See our New Hampshire electricity rates page for context.
2. Use the Department's comparison page. Select residential and your utility on the DOE comparison page.
3. Confirm registration. Make sure the supplier appears on the Department's residential supplier list for your utility.
4. Read the terms and conditions. Check the price, term, any variable-rate formula and cap, recurring fees, and early cancellation fee.
5. Calculate with your usage. Our electric bill calculator shows how a supply price changes your monthly bill.
6. Enroll directly with the supplier. Keep a record of how and when you authorized the switch; it affects your cancellation window.
7. Watch the first bills. It can take one to two months for the new supplier to appear.
8. Act on the 45-day notice. When the end-of-contract notice arrives, compare again before the term ends.

Red flags

• A supplier that is not registered with the Department of Energy.
• A variable rate with no stated basis or cap.
• Requests for your account number before you have decided.
• Sign-up bonuses that distract from a price above default service.
• No end-of-contract notice before your term ends.
• Claims that switching will improve reliability; delivery stays with your utility either way.

How to estimate savings before you switch in New Hampshire

Supply offers are quoted in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), so the quickest test is simple arithmetic. Take the difference between the offer and your default energy service price, then multiply it by the kWh you use in a typical month. As an illustration only: an offer 1 cent per kWh below the default price, on a home using 700 kWh a month, would lower the supply part of the bill by about $7 that month. An offer 1 cent higher would add about $7.

Repeat the math for a high-use month (winter heating or summer cooling) and a low-use month, because the dollar difference grows with usage. Then add any monthly fee the supplier charges, and subtract any sign-up credit spread across the term. If the offer only wins in some months, or only before the default energy service price next changes, the overall result may be close to zero. Our kWh calculator can help if you need to work out usage for specific appliances, and our state rates page shows how prices in New Hampshire compare with other states.

Fixed or variable: choosing a price type in New Hampshire

A fixed-rate plan charges the same supply price per kWh for the contract term. It makes budgeting easier, and you are protected if wholesale prices rise. The downside is that you may pay more than the default rate if that rate falls during your term, and you may owe a fee to leave early if the contract has one.

A variable-rate plan can change from month to month. It may start low, but you carry the risk if prices climb. Before accepting one, ask how the price is calculated, whether there is a ceiling, and how much notice you get before a change. The NH Department of Energy suggests asking what a variable rate is based on and whether it has a cap.

Whichever type you pick, write down three dates: when service starts, when the price could change, and when the contract ends. Most problems people report with supply contracts come from missing one of those dates.

What to do if something goes wrong

Start with the supplier. Many billing errors, missed cancellations or wrong prices can be fixed with one call, especially if you have the contract summary and the date you enrolled. Keep notes of who you spoke with and when.

If that does not work, contact the state. In New Hampshire, the Department of Energy answers questions about competitive suppliers at 1-800-852-3793 or consumerservices@energy.nh.gov. Have your utility account number, the supplier's name, and copies of any letters or emails ready. If you think you were switched without permission, say so clearly; unauthorized switching is treated seriously by state regulators.

Renters, movers and new accounts

Renters who pay their own electric bill can usually shop for supply the same way homeowners can, because the account is in their name. If your landlord pays for electricity, the choice belongs to the account holder. When you open a new account after a move, you typically start on the utility's default supply, and you can compare offers once you have a bill showing your account number and usage.

Because the switch only takes effect at a meter read, plan ahead if you are moving soon; ask the supplier how a move affects your contract and any early cancellation fee.

Next steps

Compare your utility's energy service rate with supplier offers in our electric bill calculator, then check the Department of Energy comparison page, our New Hampshire electricity rates page and the EIA New Hampshire profile.