As communities across the region navigate a challenging energy landscape, Liberty is reaching out to customers to provide information regarding the impact of the rising cost of natural gas on bills and to offer support resources.

Global and domestic market factors, including most notably the unseasonably cold winter, have led to a significant increase in the natural gas prices that Liberty had to pay to meet customer needs in January and February 2026. As a result, Liberty obtained New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission approval to increase its gas supply rates from the current $1.1453 to $1.75 per therm in March and April 2026.

This increase will help cover some of the unavoidable higher market cost for gas supply in January and February. For our customers, this means that the average residential bill is expected to increase by roughly $58 in March and $35 in April (or roughly $93 over March and April combined). 

“We understand the financial strain these shifts can place on households, and we’re committed to helping customers manage their energy bills through energy efficiency programs, financial assistance programs, and flexible payment options,” said Anthony Strabone, President, Liberty New Hampshire.

“While we don’t control the market price of gas, we do control how we support our neighbors. Our priority is for our customers to have the tools and resources they need to keep their homes comfortable and their bills manageable. We’re in this together.”

Transparent Pricing: No Markup on Gas Supply Costs

The current increase in market price of gas is driven by a combination of high demand and tight supply. Factors contributing to this include:

  • Weather Impact: A colder-than-average winter resulted in higher-than-normal withdrawals from storage.
  • Storage Refilling: Increased summer demand is now required to replenish depleted storage facilities globally.
  • Global Export Demand: Record levels of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports have increased demand for domestically produced gas.

Liberty does not profit from the rising cost of natural gas. Customer bills are comprised of two distinct parts:

  1. Gas Charge: This is the raw cost of the fuel purchased on the open market. Liberty passes this cost directly to customers without any markup or profit. This rate is increasing from the current $1.1453 to $1.75 per therm beginning March 1, 2026.
  2. Delivery/Distribution: This is a steady, regulated rate that covers the cost of safely and reliably maintaining the infrastructure that brings energy to your home. This rate is not increasing.

How Liberty can help

Liberty encourages customers to take proactive steps to offset these market increases:

  • Energy efficiency: Customers in New Hampshire can access efficiency programs through NHSaves. In addition, customers can find conservation tips here.
  • Financial assistance: Liberty offers programs for qualifying customers. Details are available here. 
  • Flexible payment plans: You can request a payment plan here. For those who have fallen behind, Liberty offers manageable payment plans to spread outstanding balances over time, protecting customers from collections activity or service interruptions.

Liberty remains dedicated to the well-being of the communities we serve. We encourage any customer concerned about their bill to contact us early so we can find resources to support them, and work together on a solution.