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On September 4, 2026 the New Hampshire Commission issued a Procedural Order Re: DOE Motion for Limited Consolidation in Liberty and Unitil’s 2026 Default Service Solicitations.

“In its motion, the DOE recommended that the Commission address the consideration pending in the EDCs’ default service proceedings, as provided for in the Commission’s supplemental orders of notice, regarding (1) whether the proxy-price development methodology for the EDCs’ ISO-New England market based procurement components for the EDCs’ default service rates should be adjusted from the current approved methodology to incorporate a market-futures based pricing element going forward1 and (2) whether the default service reconciliation cycle for the EDCs should be shortened from the current twelve (12) months to a semi-annual six (6) month reconciliation cycle. For these issues common to the three EDCs, the DOE recommended a consolidated proceeding, with a hearing in late October or early November, and proposed an embedded procedural schedule. (For two additional issues addressed in the supplemental order of notice for Liberty, Docket No. DE 26-023, the DOE recommended that Commission review of those matters continue within a Liberty-specific proceeding phase). The DOE indicated that Eversource, Liberty, and UES each either assented to, or did not object, to the relief requested. No party objected to the substantive relief requested in the DOE’s motion.”

“Having reviewed the DOE motion, the Commission hereby finds consideration of the two noticed issues common to the three EDCs listed above at a single combined hearing would be in the interests of judicial economy and administrative justice. However, to avoid participant confusion and administrative complications, the three dockets referenced herein, DE 26-017, DE 26-023, and DE 26-024, will remain separate dockets (for example, to enable these dockets to be conveniently used for the EDCs’ separate upcoming default service rate review proceedings with hearings in December 2026). Also, the combined hearing, due to Commission scheduling commitments, to address these issues is hereby scheduled for November 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.”