Finance Director Corey Stevens’ May 4, 2026 memo to the Select Board compares Q1 2026 to Q1 2025 utility and fuel costs for town facilities, water, and sewer operations. Electricity costs rose 45.76% year-over-year, driven by supplier rate increases averaging 52–58% and a 95% increase in delivery charges, while consumption stayed fairly stable apart from the Parks & Recreation move to 10 Hampton Road. Natural gas costs increased 4.8%, and fuel costs for vehicles rose 15.33%, mainly due to higher usage during winter storm response. Overall, combined electricity, fuel, and gas spending jumped 31.53% in the quarter. The memo is informational but underscores cost pressure on the General Fund, Water, and Sewer, implying a growing need to manage consumption, pursue efficiency, and possibly explore alternative energy or demand management. Vendors offering energy audits, building and process efficiency upgrades, LED lighting and controls, HVAC optimization, solar or storage solutions, and utility rate analysis can leverage this cost data to start discussions about targeted retrofits in high‑use facilities like the Safety Complex, DPW complex, water and sewer plants, and street lighting to help Exeter control future budget impacts.

Line-item detail shows large electricity spends at Sewer Collection, Street Lights, Water Distributi...