The Milford Energy Advisory Committee recommended — and the Board of Selectmen approved — hiring ECM Power LLC as the town’s consultant for renewal and implementation work on Milford Community Power.

Committee members told selectmen the two firms that presented — ECM Power LLC and another vendor — both offered competitive services, but ECM was recommended unanimously for responsiveness and fit. The board voted to accept the committee’s recommendation.

Emily Manns of ECM Power addressed the board and said the company would assist the town with preparing a request for proposals to electricity suppliers, analyzing Milford’s load profile, and running competitive bids ahead of the program renewal in November. ECM is paid as a percentage of supply transactions; selectmen noted the fee is a small fraction — commonly reported as a fraction of a penny per kilowatt-hour — applied only if the town proceeds with the contracts ECM helps secure.

Committee chair Mike Thornton explained the contractor’s role is comparable to a broker or consultant: ECM would collect Eversource-provided usage data, issue RFPs to suppliers, evaluate offers and recommend term lengths and supplier choices that match Milford’s load and risk tolerance. Selectmen asked for committee oversight and regular updates.

The board approved the committee’s recommendation by voice vote with no recorded dissent. Committee members said work will begin to prepare for the November renewal window and warned electricity markets remain volatile; short-term contracts were discussed as a possible strategy to avoid locking in elevated prices.