New Hampshire Electricity Rates Are Spiking: What Hospitality Businesses Need to Know

Starting August 1, 2025, electric commodity rates across New Hampshire are going to spike significantly — by 25–48%, depending on your utility. These electric rates will remain in effect through the summer and fall, when electricity consumption at hospitality businesses is typically high.

What This Means for Your Business

Let’s take a closer look at what the new New Hampshire electricity rates could mean for your monthly bill. The table below shows the proposed August rates, at the time of publishing this article, compared to July rates:

Of note: Eversource and Unitil rates are unlikely to change, while Liberty’s rate proposal is still under review by the NHPUC.

For a typical hotel using 50,000 kWh/month, these increases could add roughly $1,000-$2,000 to your bill. A restaurant using about 15,000 kWh/month, monthly bills could rise by about $300-$600. If you’re already managing slim margins, these increases aren’t just disruptive, they’re unsustainable.

Why Are New Hampshire Electricity Rates Changing

New Hampshire electricity rates typically change twice a year. Many business owners are surprised to learn just how little control utilities have over the outcome. By law, utilities must purchase the electricity they supply through a state-run auction that happens on a fixed schedule every six months.

Utilities don’t generate their own power, nor do they have the luxury to shop around for better pricing. When auction day comes, they’re locked into whatever the market offers — high, low, or somewhere in between — and those costs are passed directly to ratepayers.

While this system is meant to protect fairness in the energy market, it introduces real budgeting challenges. This kind of uncertainty can derail even the most careful budgeting.

There Is a Better Way

Imagine running a restaurant that can only buy lobster twice a year, regardless of price. A savvy kitchen manager would never work that way. They’d shop around, compare vendors, and time their purchases to get the best deal. That’s a better way to work and you can shop like this with your energy commodity rates too.

Because the energy market in New Hampshire is deregulated, you can bypass your utility and purchase electricity and natural gas from other providers. A company like Sprague can get you a price that works with your budget.

Sprague operates more like your best kitchen manager. We monitor energy markets daily, forecast pricing trends, and maintain relationships with multiple suppliers. Ultimately allowing you to get a rate that works best for you. Which in turn gives you price stability and budget certainty.

Utility budgeting shouldn’t be a guessing game. With over 150 years of experience and a commitment to personalized service, Sprague is here to help you remove uncertainty so you can focus on what matters most to you: delighting your customers.

If you’re on a variable or utility-backed rate, now is the time to assess your options.