Energy Secretary Chris Wright met with leaders and lineworkers from New Hampshire Electric Cooperative on Aug. 20 to discuss the importance of reliable, affordable power and how the Department of Energy can address energy supply constraints and ease cost pressures for New England consumers.
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson also joined the gathering, which took place at NHEC’s Raymond district office, and advocated for policies that protect crucial co-op generation.
“We appreciate Secretary Wright taking the time to hear directly from co-ops about the challenges we face and the work we’re doing every day to strengthen a reliable and resilient electric grid,” Matheson said.
The meeting “was a great opportunity to advocate for ways to reduce energy costs in New Hampshire,” NHEC President and CEO Michael Jennings said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the DOE to make progress on affordability and reliability.”
Wright praised electric co-ops, saying “America would not be America without cooperatives.”
NHEC is committed to providing reliable power at rates its members can afford, Jennings told Wright. But the region’s generation is primarily fueled by natural gas, and gas pipeline constraints are hurting resource adequacy and driving up energy prices, particularly during peak winter demand when gas prices can surge, the head of the Plymouth-based distribution co-op explained.
“Getting [pipeline] capacity into New England is really critical for us because we’ve seen costs escalate significantly,” Jennings told NRECA after the meeting. “Our peak winter natural gas costs this year were 50% higher than the previous peak. And it’s not going to get any better.
“As demand continues to grow, New England needs reliable access to the fuel supply that keeps the grid stable. New generation will be part of the answer, but without adequate natural gas capacity into the region, reliability challenges and cost pressures will not get better.”
Jennings also called for permitting reform that would streamline construction of both pipelines and electric transmission. Around 75% of transmission projects in the region are to rebuild existing lines, but New England needs new capacity to add reliability and support demand, he said.
“We need more transmission, but we need to spend money on the right projects,” Jennings said. “Rebuilding existing lines at high cost without adding capacity or delivering clear reliability benefits does not solve New England’s energy challenges. Our focus should be on projects that strengthen the grid, support new generation and load growth, while protecting affordability for members.”
Energy policy “should be a bipartisan issue,” Wright said. “Who doesn’t want affordable electricity?”
Also at the meeting, Matheson discussed NRECA’s efforts to overturn a 2024 rule from the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Matheson said the rule would impose unworkable GHG standards on existing coal and new natural gas plants, relying on carbon capture and sequestration for certain coal and gas units and a separate, stringent emissions standard for some new gas units that many utilities have found will be difficult to achieve.
As part of his visit to NHEC’s Raymond office, Wright also met with line crews and thanked them for their work.
“We were especially grateful that he spent time with the co-op line crews and praised their work to keep the lights on,” Matheson said. “We value the opportunity to work directly with the Department of Energy and Secretary Wright to make sure policymakers understand what it takes to keep the power flowing.”
William Darcy, vice chair of NHEC’s board and an NRECA director, also attended the Aug. 20 event.
“It was highly encouraging to hear that Secretary Wright was working hard to ensure that electric cooperatives will be able to provide our members with secure, affordable and reliable electricity,” Darcy said. “He appreciates the strong advocacy of NRECA and wants to work with us to achieve our joint goals of affordable and reliable energy.”
Molly Christian is a staff writer for NRECA.