New Hampshire Public Benefit Funds for Rate Assistance

• New Hampshire 's Electric Assistance Program (EAP), also called the tiered-discount program was implemented statewide during 2002 for customers of regulated electric utilities. The legislature had passed a restructuring law in 1996 that authorized a system benefits charge ( SBC ) for the program. The SBC totals 3.3 mills per kWh, with the EAP currently receiving 1.8 mills per kWh and energy efficiency programs the remainder. EAP participants are responsible for electric bills equal to approximately 4.5 percent of household income. During FY 2010, the EAP electric rate discounts amounted to about $16.6 million.

  The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission in 2005 approved a one-year pilot program for qualifying natural gas customers of Keyspan and Northern/Unitil. Now a permanent program called the Residential Low Income Assistance Program, it provides a 15 percent discount averaging about $225 per year. In 2010 program expenditures were about $1.5 million.

  For more information, see electric utility restructuring updates.

Leveraging:

2010: $17.7 million
2009: $15.3 million
2007: $11.5 million
2006: $14.9 million
2005: $13.7 million