Lakes Region NH Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup, EV

In short: Around Laconia and Lake Winnipesaukee, many homes are members of the NH Electric Co-op, which averaged 23.8¢ per kWh in 2024 and reported about 40 hours of outages per member once major storms are counted. The Co-op pays more for solar exports from 4 to 8 p.m., and FEMA rates Belknap County relatively high for ice storms.

Below: the Lakes Region’s utilities, what the Co-op’s rates mean for solar, batteries and EVs, permits in Laconia, and how to plan for long outages at lake houses and year-round homes. Statewide rules (NEM 2.0, the plug-in solar law, licensing, incentives) are in our New Hampshire energy guide.

Lakes Region at a glance

• Utilities: in Belknap County, EIA lists Eversource, the NH Electric Co-op and two municipal utilities, New Hampton Village Precinct and the Town of Wolfeboro. Check your bill.
• Price, 2024 average: the Co-op about 23.8¢ per kWh, Eversource 22.7¢ (EIA-861, revenue divided by sales, homes on the utility’s own supply). Wolfeboro’s municipal utility averaged about 14.3¢ across all its customers. Statewide prices rose sharply in 2026.
• Outages, 2024: the Co-op reported 2,410 minutes per member with major events and 515 without, under a different standard from the IEEE method Eversource uses, so compare with care. Eversource reported 786 and 82 (EIA-861).
• Sun: about 3.71 kWh per square meter per day in Laconia (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,080 kWh a year per kW of panels.
• Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Belknap County “relatively high” for ice storms and lightning and “relatively moderate” for winter weather.
• Public charging: 10 public ports at 5 locations in Laconia (AFDC, October 2026).

Your utility and what it means

NH Electric Co-op is member-owned and offers three optional time-of-day rates:

• Net Metering Time of Day: only for members with solar or a battery. Exports earn higher credits during the weekday peak, 4 to 8 p.m.
• Electric Vehicle Time of Day: cheaper charging outside 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, through a submeter. A Level 2 home charger enrolled in the off-peak program earns a $300 rebate after inspection.
• Whole-House Time of Day: lower prices outside 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend.

The Co-op also runs Peak Days, a free, voluntary program with up to 15 summer afternoon events a year. It takes solar connection applications online and publishes a guide to common interconnection mistakes. Through NHSaves, an energy audit can bring up to $6,000 in efficiency incentives. The Co-op itself runs a 2.45 MW battery at its Moultonborough solar array to cut peak costs for all members.

Eversource customers can use its home battery incentive: $230 per kWh up to $3,000 in May 2026, for listed batteries enrolled in three summers of demand response. Funding is limited. Gilford runs Gilford Community Power through the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire, which sets the supply price on residents’ bills.

Backup power in the Lakes Region

The Co-op’s 2024 figures stand out: about 40 hours per member counting major storms, and more than five interruptions on average. Even its ordinary-day figure, about 8.6 hours, is long, and FEMA rates the county relatively high for ice storms. For a year-round home, especially one on a well, plan for more than a day without power.

• Year-round homes and wells: a standby generator on propane with an automatic transfer switch is the long-outage tool. See generator installation and the generator sizing tool.
• Solar homes: a home battery covers the first hours and, for Co-op members, can earn the 4 to 8 p.m. export credit. Size it with the battery backup calculator.
• Seasonal camps and cottages: a portable power station or a small generator for lights, the fridge and a pump.

Compare options in our backup power guide. Run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away, keep snow off the exhaust, and fit carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).

Solar in the Lakes Region

By our rough estimate, a 6 kW system near Laconia makes about 6,500 kWh a year. Used at home, that would have been worth about $1,550 at the Co-op’s 2024 average price or $1,470 at Eversource’s, and more at 2026 prices. Exports earn less under NEM 2.0; Co-op members can raise the value by exporting in the 4 to 8 p.m. window. Wooded lake lots often have shade, so get a shading study. These are estimates, not quotes.

Check your roof with the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, then read how solar installation works, what it costs and how net metering works. Ask your town assessor about any local solar exemption.

Home batteries in the Lakes Region

Long outages make backup the main reason for a battery here. For Co-op members with solar, the net metering time-of-day rate adds a second reason: store midday power and send it out between 4 and 8 p.m., when credits are higher. Eversource customers can claim the battery incentive. In deep winter, solar recharge is weak, so many homes pair a battery with a generator. See battery costs and battery installation.

EV charging in the Lakes Region

At 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs about $7.15 per 100 miles at the Co-op’s 2024 average price or $6.80 on Eversource (our estimate). The Co-op’s EV rate and $300 charger rebate lower that for members who charge overnight. Public charging is thin, with 10 ports in Laconia, so home charging matters more here. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and an electrical permit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Laconia: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• Laconia: the city’s Code Enforcement office now takes building and electrical permits online and publishes its residential fees.
• Other lake towns: apply to your town’s building or code office.
• Utility approval: the Co-op asks you to apply online before installing; Eversource and the municipal utilities also approve grid-tied systems first.

Use a New Hampshire-licensed electrician (license checks are on the state page), and check association or shoreland rules for lakefront lots before you sign.

Cities we cover

• Laconia

Get help in the Lakes Region

Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Lakes Region area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.

Lakes Region energy questions

Does the NH Electric Co-op pay more for solar exports at certain times?

Yes. Its Net Metering Time of Day rate, open only to members with solar or a battery, pays higher credits for power exported from 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays. Ask the Co-op whether it suits your use before switching.

Why are Co-op outage numbers so high?

In 2024 the Co-op reported about 40 hours per member including major storms, under a different standard from Eversource’s, so the two are not directly comparable. Either way, the Co-op’s own ordinary-day figure was about 8.6 hours. Plan backup for a day or more.

Is there an EV charger rebate in the Lakes Region?

For Co-op members, yes: $300 after inspection for a Level 2 home charger enrolled in the off-peak EV rate. Eversource customers should check their utility’s current programs.

How do I get a solar or charger permit in Laconia?

Laconia’s Code Enforcement office takes building and electrical permits online. Your utility must also approve a grid-tied solar or battery system, so apply to both before work starts.

Sources

EIA-861, 2024 (price = residential revenue ÷ sales, and all-customer revenue ÷ sales for Wolfeboro; outages; service territory); NH Electric Co-op net metering, time-of-day, EV charging, Peak Days, battery storage and energy savings pages; Eversource New Hampshire home battery incentive page (archived May 2026); Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire member page; City of Laconia Code Enforcement page (archived February 2026); NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. Read October 2026 unless noted. Estimates are ours and labelled.