Utility service in New Hampshire is a patchwork rather than a single system. One street can get its electricity from an investor-owned company and its water from a town department or village precinct. Sewage may go to a separate sewer commission, while the house next door relies on a private well and septic tank. This page covers the 42 offices we list statewide, from hydroelectric operators in Concord and Dover to small water precincts in the White Mountains. It also explains which body to call for which problem.

How Utilities Are Organised Across New Hampshire

Services fall into three ownership models. Knowing which one applies to your address tells you who to call and who can change your rates.

Investor-owned companies deliver most of the electricity and natural gas in the populated south and east. Eversource is the largest electric distributor, and Unitil and Liberty Utilities serve other parts of the state. The member-owned New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, based in Plymouth, covers many rural towns in the Lakes Region and White Mountains. A few towns run their own electric departments. Littleton Light Department and Woodsville Water & Light Department, both in our listings, are examples.

Water and sewer service is far more local. Many cities, including Keene and Lebanon, run municipal systems. Smaller communities form village districts or water precincts. These are quasi-municipal bodies with elected commissioners, their own budgets and an annual meeting of voters. Private companies fill the remaining gaps. Aquarion Water Co in Hampton and Lakes Region Water Company Inc in Moultonborough are both in our database.

Home heating sits outside this picture. Fuel oil and propane come from private dealers, and the state does not set their prices. That matters in a state where many homes beyond the gas mains burn oil or propane.

Who Regulates Utilities in New Hampshire

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in Concord is the main regulator. Under RSA Title XXXIV, it reviews rates, sets service standards and hears disputes for investor-owned electric, gas, water and sewer companies. Its rules also govern when and how a regulated utility may disconnect a residential customer.

Since 2021, the state Department of Energy has handled much of the day-to-day energy work, including consumer complaints and low-income assistance programs. The PUC keeps its decision-making role. The Office of the Consumer Advocate represents residential customers in rate cases.

Electric service is split in two. Under the 1996 restructuring law, RSA 374-F, the local utility still delivers power and answers for outages. Customers of the larger companies may buy the energy itself from a competitive supplier.

Municipal departments, village districts and precincts answer to local voters instead. Selectmen, councils or commissioners set their rates, often after a public hearing, so the place to push back is a board meeting. Cooperatives are governed by a board elected by member-customers.

Water quality follows a separate track. The Department of Environmental Services (DES) enforces drinking water standards for public systems and permits wastewater discharges and septic systems. Public water suppliers must send customers an annual water quality report, normally by July 1.

Seacoast, Merrimack Valley, Lakes and North Country: How Utilities Differ by Region

Merrimack Valley and the southern tier

The southern corridor has the densest networks and the most listings per city. Concord has four, including TransCanada Hydro Northeast Inc at 4 Park Street, a reminder that dams on New Hampshire rivers still feed the grid. Manchester lists Halifax-Amer Energy Company on Elm Street, and Merrimack Village District Water operates from Greens Pond Road in the town of Merrimack. The Merrimack County listings also include the Sanitary Sewer Division in Franklin, Andover Water District on Hall Road, and Pennichuck Water Works at 371 Catamount Road in Pittsfield. Here most households connect to municipal or regulated water and sewer, and natural gas is available in the larger cities.

The Seacoast

Coastal communities combine year-round residents with heavy summer demand. In Rockingham County we list Aquarion Water Co on Merrill Industrial Drive in Hampton, Rye Water District on Sagamore Road, and Eolian Renewable Energy in Portsmouth. Rainscape Lawn Sprinkler Systems in Greenland also appears, which shows that some listings are utility-adjacent businesses rather than public utilities. Just north, Dover has four listings, among them Watson Hydro Electric on Watson Road in Strafford County.

Lakes Region, White Mountains and North Country

Resort areas run on small, locally governed systems. In Carroll County, Lower Bartlett Water Precinct and North Conway Water Precinct (104 Sawmill Lane, Conway) serve communities whose populations swell in ski and summer seasons. Alton Water Works Department on Frank C Gilman Highway covers a lakeside town in Belknap County.

Farther north, Grafton County has the state's second-largest concentration of listings after the capital region. Plymouth has three, including Bridgewater Power on Daniel Webster Highway. Others include Pinetree Power in Bethlehem, Littleton Light Department on Lafayette Avenue, and Lebanon Utilities Maintenance on North Plainfield Road. In these rural areas, distances are longer and crews fewer. Storm restoration can take longer, and more households depend on private wells and septic systems.

Getting Something Done: Starting, Moving or Disputing Service

Most problems come down to reaching the right office with the right information. A few habits save time:

Some listings are operating sites, not public counters. Hydroelectric and generation entries such as Watson Hydro Electric (603-742-8490) or Pinetree Power (603-444-9993) are best reached by phone first. A billing office such as Keene Water Billing at 3 Washington Street (603-352-3239) is set up for customer questions.

Unpaid municipal water and sewer charges can become a lien on the property in many cases. Settle billing questions before a sale or refinance, and ask the office for a written final balance when you move out.

Municipal utility departments throughout New Hampshire provide electricity, water, sewer, and related services to millions of residents and businesses. Utility governance in New Hampshire is shaped by the state's public utility commission, which regulates investor-owned utilities, while municipally owned systems operate under local authority.

Utilities locations are available in 30 cities across New Hampshire. They are spread across 10 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of utility offices include Dover, Concord, Plymouth, reflecting their larger populations and service area demands.

New Hampshire residents should contact their local utility provider directly for account setup, billing questions, and outage reporting. State-level utility assistance programs may also be available through the state's health and human services agency.

Utilities by Counties

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New Hampshire residents who need help paying utility bills may qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered through the state's community services offices. Contact your local utility provider to inquire about budget billing, shut-off protection, and additional assistance programs available in your area.

Browse Utilities by county across New Hampshire to find your local utility department's contact information and service office locations.

Winter, Wells and Storms: Utility Realities in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has a long heating season, frequent nor'easters and a history of ice storms. The December 2008 ice storm left a large share of the state without power for days, and it still shapes how utilities discuss tree trimming and restoration. The practical lesson is simple. Know your provider's outage line before you need it, and keep your account number where you can find it.

Water brings its own local issues. Much of the state sits on granite bedrock, and private wells can contain naturally occurring arsenic or radon. Public systems are tested on a state schedule, but a household well is the owner's responsibility. In Cheshire County, Keene Water Billing handles city water accounts, while many nearby rural homes rely on wells.

The north looks different again. In Coos County, Whitefield Power & Light on Airport Road and Berlin Waste Water Treatment on Main Street serve small communities spread across a large, thinly populated area. Small offices have fewer staff, so calling during posted hours and leaving your address with a clear message usually works better than turning up unannounced.

Before cold weather arrives, ask your provider about budget billing, confirm your mailing address and apply early for any assistance you may qualify for.

Frequently Asked Questions About Utilities in New Hampshire

It depends on who owns the system. The Public Utilities Commission in Concord reviews and approves rates for investor-owned electric, natural gas, water and sewer companies, usually after a filing, public notice and hearings. The Office of the Consumer Advocate speaks for residential customers. Municipal departments are different: selectmen, city councils or elected commissioners set those rates, so the place to comment is a public meeting. Village districts and precincts add an annual meeting where voters approve the budget. Your bill or the provider's website will show which type of utility you have. If it is unclear, ask the town clerk.

Yes, for the energy portion of the bill. Under the state's 1996 restructuring law, customers of the larger investor-owned distributors can buy power from a competitive supplier instead of taking the utility's default energy service. The local utility still owns the poles and wires, reads the meter and restores service after outages, whichever supplier you pick. Before switching, compare the price per kilowatt-hour with the current default rate. Check for a fixed term or early-termination fee, and confirm the supplier is registered with the state. Customers of some municipal and co-op providers may have different options, so ask your provider first.

Start with your regional community action agency, which takes applications for the state's fuel assistance program. The Electric Assistance Program, which gives income-qualified households a percentage discount on electric bills, is generally arranged through the same agencies. Gather recent heating and electric bills, proof of income for everyone in the household and photo ID. Income limits are updated regularly, so confirm the current figures when you apply. Apply early in the heating season, since processing takes time. You can also call your utility directly and ask about a payment plan or budget billing, which spreads costs across the year.

No. A private well is owned and maintained by the homeowner, and no rate regulator is involved. The Department of Environmental Services publishes testing guidance and recommends regular well testing, particularly for arsenic, radon and bacteria, which occur naturally in parts of the state. Use a laboratory accredited for drinking water analysis. Septic systems must be designed and approved under state rules, and your town may add its own requirements. If your home connects to public water or sewer instead, the provider usually maintains the main line and the owner maintains the pipe from the main to the building. Ask which applies to you.

A precinct or village district is a local unit of government created to provide specific services, usually water, sewer or fire protection, within set boundaries. It has elected commissioners, a budget approved by voters at an annual meeting, and the power to bill users. Our listings include Lower Bartlett Water Precinct, North Conway Water Precinct, Grasmere Village Water Precinct in Goffstown and Merrimack Village District Water. Unlike a town department, its boundaries may not match town lines, and only voters inside the district decide its budget. You may live in a town but outside the precinct, so call the office to confirm your address is served.

Call 811 before any digging project, including fence posts, trees and deck footings. The call connects you to Dig Safe, which notifies member utilities so they can mark underground gas, electric, water and communication lines. State law requires advance notice of at least 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays. Wait for the marks or all-clear responses, and hand-dig near marked lines. The service is free for homeowners. Lines owned by a town or precinct are usually covered, but private lines running from the main to your house may not be marked, so check with your water or sewer provider.