CONWAY, N.H. — The town recently became the 70th municipality to join the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire. If voters approve the plan at the polls in April, ratepayers could begin saving money next year.

On Tuesday, the Conway Energy Committee and selectmen held a second public hearing on a proposal to have the coalition of Concord serve as the town’s power vendor. The committee includes chair Jessyca Keeler, selectman’s representative John Colbath, vice chair Michael Mitchroney, and members Erik Corbett, Brian Fitzgerald and David Smolen.

Keeler, Mitchroney, and Smolen attended the meeting, with coalition engagement manager Andrew Hatch.

“So, the select board has elected to join the coalition, and that happened at the last meeting,” Hatch said. “Congratulations — last Thursday, Conway became our 70th member.”

The coalition board of directors accepted Conway at its Nov. 21 meeting. Selectmen voted to join Nov. 12.

The coalition will help the town develop a community power plan designed to save most ratepayers money. Residents will decide at the polls whether to adopt the plan.

The coalition will help the town purchase power in bulk, although Eversource and the New Hampshire Electric Co-Op will continue to be the utility providers.

“We’ve just topped the 70-member mark this month, and we’re now representing 40 percent of the state’s population. We’re serving 188,000 customers, and I just got late-breaking news this afternoon that we have almost achieved $20 million in savings to date,” Hatch said. “What that means is participating ratepayers — since our first launch in April of last year — have saved over $20 million compared to what they would have paid to the utilities.”

In the rate period that began in August and ends in January, the coalition’s basic rate is 8.6 cents per kilowatt hour, while Eversource’s default rate is 10.4 cents per kilowatt hour.

The program will only launch if the coalition can beat the utilities’ default rates. If voters approve the plan, eligible ratepayers will receive a letter.

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