What's New

The City of Portsmouth and The Kane Company announced today that they have reached a groundbreaking agreement that resolves the longstanding McIntyre lawsuits, representing a mutually beneficial outcome. In addition to resolving the lawsuits with no monetary damages for either party, the agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to addressing the housing crisis in Portsmouth, one of the City’s most pressing needs.

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) has advised its member municipalities, including Portsmouth Community Power, that the electricity supply rates they had announced for the rate period February 1, 2025 through July 31, 2025 will increase on March 3, 2025. The new Granite Basic default rate for residential and small commercial customers will increase from 8.9 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and remain in effect through July 31, 2025.

On January 2, 2025, the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) announced new electricity supply rates for Portsmouth Community Power (PCP) customers effective February 1, 2025 for the rate period ending July 31, 2025. The Granite Basic default rate for residential and small commercial customers is being set at 8.9 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

For the fifth year, the City of Portsmouth NH has "left the lights on" the holiday tree in Market Square and is inviting the public to help decorate the "Tree of Love" for the upcoming Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day weekend, February 14-17, 2025.

The City of Portsmouth NH recently received the Bronze Award designation from the national SolSmart program for encouraging the growth of clean, affordable solar energy at the local level.

At the December 16, 2024 City Council meeting, City Manager Karen Conard announced that $350,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) assistance would be distributed to local nonprofit human service agencies, concluding a monthslong process. Local agencies were invited to submit applications for the funds by November 27, 2024.

The City of Portsmouth is transitioning its official website domain and email from "cityofportsmouth.com" to "portsmouthnh.gov." Email services will be migrated first, on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, with the website to follow on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

The Portsmouth NH City Clerk has announced that her office has begun to accept applications for the lottery to assign the 16 seasonal boat slips at Prescott Park for the 2025 season. The deadline for applying is Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 4 pm. 

Once again, the Citywide Neighborhood Committee Holiday Lights Contest received enthusiastic support, with 25 Portsmouth residents participating in this annual event. A donation of $10 for each participant is being made to Gather, the Seacoast food pantry. Mayor Deaglan McEachern today announced the winners and has invited them to attend the January 6, 2025 City Council meeting for public recognition.

The top three winners are: 

Portsmouth, NH – Railroad owner CSX will begin critical repair work at the railroad crossing on Market Street to replace their tracks into the Port Authority. CSX has advised the City that this is emergency work and could not wait until January when the work could have been more optimally coordinated. Traffic flow will be maintained on Market Street during initial work on Tuesday, December 17.