Your area Not set — showing everywhere
How it works Support this town
Meeting report · Energy Aggregation Committee
Creating this report cost real money. Help fund coverage →

Energy Aggregation Committee — January 14, 2026

No public comments, no split votes, and discussions remained informational despite several off-agenda items.

Date Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Duration 1.5h Speakers 7 Decisions 3 Routine
📄 Agenda ▶ Video 📄 Minutes

Questions about this meeting? ⁠Just ask.

Ask MeetingWatch answers from this meeting’s report, transcript, and records — with linked sources.

Summary AI-generated to surface controversy & community impact without bias — always verify against the actual meeting before relying on it.

On January 14, 2026, the Town of Sunapee Energy Aggregation Committee discussed two items that were not on the published agenda. One covered how to reference New London customers—who pay more than 60% of sewer fees and are covered by an inter-municipal agreement—in public materials for the $1.3M wastewater treatment plant solar bond article. The second reviewed Right-to-Know requirements for Water & Sewer Commission member attendance at a planned informational meeting after the deliberative session.

Residents had no advance notice these topics would be addressed, limiting their ability to prepare comments or attend specifically for those issues. The $1.3M bond and related solar zoning ordinance changes are scheduled for the March ballot.

Minutes have since been published and record the discussions without noting any public comments. The committee plans outreach materials ahead of the vote.

Jan 14, 2026 1.5h long 7 speakers 3 decisions Routine
❝ Notable statements ↔ Drag to browse

“CPCNH rates are highest announced; towns unlikely to launch until Eversource reconciliation resolved; coalition betting on low opt-out rates to rebuild reserves.”

— Doug Cogan · Community Power rates discussion ▶ 07:33

“Ordinance allows business accessory solar but prohibits solar farms for profit; public may misread 'commercial' on ballot as allowing large arrays.”

— Katherine Buchoyev · Solar zoning ordinance ▶ 20:56

“Project expects $250k DES forgiveness plus possible $300k+ federal credit; repayment via energy savings and sewer fees with no tax rate impact.”

— Betty · Wastewater solar array funding ▶ 49:49

“16 other towns in New Hampshire already have solar installations at their wastewater treatment plants; actions speak louder than words and Sunapee is following established practice.”

— Unidentified speaker · Public education discussion ▶ 1:15:14

“New London customers pay over 60% of sewer fees; there is a meter at the town line and New London maintains the George's Mills pump station.”

— Unidentified speaker · Clarifying inter-municipal arrangement ▶ 1:00:02
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
What was discussed

Savings unavailable until at least spring 2026

What was discussed

Limits arrays to accessory use only; excludes solar farms

What was discussed

$1.3M project funded partly by user fees and grants; no tax-rate impact claimed

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Committee members and guests introduced themselves; Katherine Buchoyev chaired the meeting.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Motion to approve November 12 minutes passed with no discussion.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Discussion of CPCNH coalition rates (-10.9 cents/kWh range) versus Eversource; delays due to PUC reconciliation order and under-collections; rates not yet finalized for February 2026 period.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Review of proposed zoning amendment defining residential/commercial solar as accessory use only; excludes solar farms; concerns about public confusion on ballot wording and role in education.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Bond article for $1.3M solar array and efficiency measures at plant; funding via DES loan forgiveness, possible federal credits, and user fees; not a committee project but linked to public education needs.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Discussion on whether to note Water and Sewer Commission recommendation in deliberative materials and confirming support via chair Teddy and staff Holly.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Consideration of referencing New London sewer customers (over 60% of fees) and the inter-municipal agreement/metering arrangement in public materials.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Planning handouts, informational sessions (library/LSPA), and use of other NH towns' solar-at-WWTP examples ahead of the March 10 vote.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Review of Right-to-Know requirements for commission member attendance and coordination for a post-deliberative-session informational meeting.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Agreement to shift regular meetings to the last Wednesday of the month at 5.30 p.m. and reset the 2026 calendar.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Solar zoning ordinance ballot wording

Potential public confusion over 'commercial' accessory-use language that could be misread as allowing solar farms; affects voter understanding ahead of March ballot
Board position: Committee will focus on public education and handouts to clarify intent
low concern
02

Community Power rate finalization and launch delay

Ongoing delay due to PUC order leaves residents without projected savings; rates not finalized for February 2026
Board position: Monitor coalition updates and notify public once rates are set
medium concern

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approve minutes from November 12 meeting
Motion by a speaker, seconded by a speaker; no discussion; all present members voted aye.
Approved (Ayes)
Adopt last Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. as the regular meeting time
No formal vote; agreement reached after discussion of availability and conflicts.
Consensus
Motion to adjourn
Motion made and accepted; meeting concluded.
Passed

Share ⁠this report

Drafts ready to post — click any block to copy.

X / Twitter — by angle

off-agenda discussion of New London wastewater agreement disclosure
Sunapee Energy Aggregation Committee met 1/14/26. Off-agenda discussion covered how to reference New London customers (paying >60% of sewer fees) in public materials for the $1.3M WWTP solar bond vote. Residents received no... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH
328/280 chars
off-agenda Water & Sewer Commission participation and RTK logistics
At the 1/14/26 meeting, the committee reviewed Right-to-Know rules for Water & Sewer Commission member attendance and planned a post-deliberative informational session. This item was not on the published agenda. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH
313/280 chars
Community Power rate delay impact on residents
Community Power rates remain unfinalized for Feb 2026 due to PUC delays. The committee noted the coalition rates are the highest announced so far, with launch now pushed to at least spring. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH
291/280 chars
potential voter confusion on solar zoning wording
Solar zoning ordinance ballot language was discussed 1/14/26. Members flagged risk that voters could misread 'commercial' as allowing solar farms, which the ordinance actually prohibits. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH
288/280 chars

X thread

1
Sunapee Energy Aggregation Committee 1/14/26 meeting included two medium-significance topics not listed on the public agenda: disclosure of New London sewer customers in bond materials and Right-to-Know logistics for Water & Sewer Commission... #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH
269/280
2
The New London discussion centered on noting that these customers pay over 60% of fees and the inter-municipal metering agreement, ahead of the March $1.3M WWTP solar bond vote. No prior notice was given to residents.
217/280
3
The committee also reviewed commission attendance rules and planned a post-deliberative informational meeting. Both items affect public information for an upcoming vote but appeared without warning on the agenda. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/
236/280

Facebook — long form

On January 14, 2026, the Town of Sunapee Energy Aggregation Committee discussed two items that were not on the published agenda. One covered how to reference New London customers—who pay more than 60% of sewer fees and are covered by an inter-municipal agreement—in public materials for the $1.3M wastewater treatment plant solar bond article. The second reviewed Right-to-Know requirements for Water & Sewer Commission member attendance at a planned informational meeting after the deliberative session.

Residents had no advance notice these topics would be addressed, limiting their ability to prepare comments or attend specifically for those issues. The $1.3M bond and related solar zoning ordinance changes are scheduled for the March ballot.

Minutes have since been published and record the discussions without noting any public comments. The committee plans outreach materials ahead of the vote. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/energy-aggregation-committee/2026-01-14/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Update committee webpage with latest rate card and notify members of any Community Power rate announcements
Assigned: Katherine Buchoyev (a speaker) · Due: Before next meeting
Research and discuss potential public education efforts on solar ordinance and wastewater solar bond (e.g., one-pagers, library sessions)
Assigned: Committee · Due: Before next meeting
Confirm final warrant booklet wording for solar ordinance and wastewater bond article; add support statements if confirmed
Assigned: Shannon Martinez (a speaker) · Due: By February 2026 deliberative session
Contact Dave/Holly/Teddy regarding Water & Sewer Commission participation in informational meeting and confirm support for booklet language
Assigned: a speaker (Betty) · Due: Before deliberative session
Send updated 2026 meeting schedule to town for website posting
Assigned: a speaker · Due: Immediate
Provide statistics and sample handouts from other NH towns with solar arrays at wastewater plants
Assigned: a speaker (Doug) · Due: Prior to deliberative session
Review video comments from bond hearing to anticipate questions for outreach materials
Assigned: a speaker · Due: Prior to deliberative session

Accountability ⁠flags

Documented procedural gaps. Each item links to its source.

Agenda items not discussed

Topics discussed — not on agenda

Transcript vs. official minutes

Support coverage

Creating this report cost ⁠real money.

MeetingWatch attended, transcribed, and analyzed this meeting on its own dime. If this work is valuable to you, chip in to keep covering Sunapee.

Report composed by grok-4.3, claude-opus-4-7 · analyzed 2026-05-27.