Welcome!

The City of Beverly is developing a plan for a consumer-friendly electricity program called Beverly Community Electric. The program will allow the City to use our collective buying power to take a big step toward our sustainability goals and provide affordable renewable electricity to Beverly community members.

The program will provide new choices that give electricity customers greater control over the cost and environmental impact of the electricity they use. Though the program will not be able to guarantee savings, the City is committed to working toward competitive and stable prices.

In launching the Beverly Community Electric, Beverly will join nearly 150 other cities and towns in Massachusetts with similar programs. Beverly is targeting early 2022 for program launch.

Public comments accepted

Before launching the program, the City must develop an Aggregation Plan and submit it to state regulators for review and approval. To ensure the public has an opportunity to be a part of developing this program, the City is making its draft Aggregation Plan available for review and comment before beginning that regulatory review process.

Beverly’s draft Aggregation Plan will be available for public review and comment from January 15 until February 5, 2021. An overview of the plan will be presented at a virtual public information session on January 20 at 6:30 PM. Information for participating can be found at the City of Beverly calendar. Anyone who requires an ASL interpreter for this event should submit their request to support@BeverlyCommunityElectric.com by January 18.

Documents available for public review and comment:

A hard copy of the draft plan will be available from the Welcome Desk at City Hall (191 Cabot Street).
Submit written comments via email to sustainability@beverlyma.gov, or via U.S. mail to 191 Cabot St., Beverly, MA 01915 (Attn: Sustainability).

Cleaner electricity

 Beverly Community Electric participants will automatically receive more electricity from renewable sources than is required by state law. The specific amount is still to be determined. You will also have the option to receive 100% of your electricity from renewable sources or to receive just the minimum amount required by state law. (Visit the Definitions page to learn about renewable electricity.)

Stable, competitive prices

 The program will aim to provide competitive, long-term electricity supply pricing. Price stability will make the program different from National Grid’s Basic Service prices, which change every 6 months or less, and from many electricity supply offers in the marketplace. The City’s goal is to provide savings when compared with the average of National Grid’s Basic Service prices. However, because National Grid’s Basic Service prices change and future prices are not known, savings compared with National Grid’s prices can’t be guaranteed.

Consumer protections

 Beverly Community Electric is being designed to protect Beverly consumers. The program will include no hidden fees, and you will have the freedom to opt out of the program at any time with no penalty.

Details such as prices, how much renewable electricity will be included, and when the program will launch will be determined after Beverly’s Aggregation Plan receives approval from state regulators. Learn about the implementation process.

How electricity aggregation works

Through Beverly Community Electric, Beverly will choose its own electricity supplier, and it will determine the price that National Grid uses to calculate the supply services portion of your electricity bill. However, Beverly Community Electric will not replace National Grid as Beverly’s electricity utility. If you choose to participate, you will remain a National Grid electricity customer with no interruption to your electricity. National Grid will continue to deliver your electricity, they will continue to send your electricity bill, and you will continue to call them if your power goes out. If you are eligible for any discount from National Grid, you will continue to receive that discount.

Enrollment will be automatic for most electricity customers in Beverly (though not for customers who have already signed an electricity supply contract). If your account is eligible for automatic enrollment, you will receive a notification in the mail from the City before being enrolled with details like pricing and program options.

Participation is never required. The automatic enrollment model is state law for all programs like Beverly Community Electric,
but you will be able to opt out before being enrolled and any time after enrollment with no penalty.

Learn more about how aggregation works
Read the FAQ