Energy costs affect nearly every household in New Hampshire from monthly utility bills to housing affordability and long-term economic security. As lawmakers debate proposals aimed at controlling rising energy costs, understanding who represents consumers and how energy policy decisions are made has never been more important. 

In the first episode of Season Two of New Hampshire Uncharted, host Gene Martin is joined by Donald M. Kreis, New Hampshire’s Consumer Advocate, to break down the role of the Consumer Advocate, what’s driving rising electricity costs, and what policy changes could help improve affordability and fairness. 

What the Consumer Advocate Does 

New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is responsible for regulating utility rates and balancing the interests of investor-owned utilities and their customers. But, as Kreis explains, utilities come to the table with significant legal and technical resources. 

“The Office of the Consumer Advocate was created to put a little weight on the other side of the scale so that the Commission could really discharge that arbiter role appropriately, and New Hampshire would get rates that are fair and reasonable.” 

The Office is intentionally independent. Kreis does not report to the Governor or the Legislature, allowing him to take positions based solely on what he believes is best for consumers. 

“We get to do what we think is right every single day in every single case that we participate in.” 

Why Electricity Bills Keep Rising 

While fuel prices often get the blame, Kreis says rising electricity costs are driven largely by capital expenditures , which are long-term investments made by investor-owned utilities. 

“All of the physical assets that an investor-owned utility purchases and puts into service go into so-called rate base,” he explains. “That means that the shareholders of the utility earn a return on their investment.” 

Those returns are built into customer bills. In New Hampshire, Kreis argues, utilities are earning returns that are higher than their low-risk business model would normally justify. 

“Utilities are getting almost 10%… Why are we giving utilities so much free money in the form of rate of return when they are an extremely low-risk proposition?” 

Affordability, Equity, and What Comes Next 

Kreis warns that rising utility costs function like a regressive tax, hitting households with lower incomes hardest. 

“When you raise rates for those things ahead of inflation, it becomes a kind of regressive tax,” he says. “For poor people, the energy burden…gets really, really unconscionably high.” 

Looking ahead, Kreis discusses proposals that would give the PUC clearer guidance when setting allowed returns on equity. He also points to community power aggregation as a promising long-term option for consumer empowerment, allowing towns to pool their buying power and offer residents more choice without requiring constant individual decision-making. 

“We are busy people leading our lives, doing our jobs, raising our families…so you need a trusted agent to act on your behalf,” Kreis says. 

Season Two of New Hampshire Uncharted 

This episode launches Season Two of New Hampshire Uncharted, which focuses on proposed policy solutions that could shape the future of the Granite State, from energy costs to housing and health care. 

If there’s a policy proposal you’d like the podcast to explore this session, email podcast@nhfpi.org. 

To keep up with new episodes and NHFPI’s latest research, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit nhfpi.org/podcast.