Program implementation process

Municipal electricity aggregation was enabled by the Massachusetts Restructuring Act of 1997 (Chapter 164, Section 134) and is regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The implementation process includes a regulatory review and approval process that typically requires several months. The list below includes key milestones in the program implementation process.

1. City Council vote

Chelsea must vote publicly to pursue aggregation.

  • The Chelsea City Council vote occurred on October 21, 2019.

2. Regulatory review

Chelsea submits an aggregation plan document to the Massachusetts DOER for review and then to the Massachusetts DPU for approval. This document is a broad template that demonstrates how Chelsea will meet regulatory requirements. This process typically takes many months.

  • Chelsea’s aggregation plan was reviewed by the Massachusetts DOER on January 27, 2021.
  • Chelsea’s aggregation plan was submitted to the Massachusetts DPU on February 26, 2021. The DPU held a hearing to accept public comments on the plan on July 20, 2021.
  • Chelsea’s aggregation plan received approval from state regulators on December 27, 2023. 

3. Signing an electricity supply contract 

Once the State regulatory review process was complete and the aggregation plan received formal approval by the state, Chelsea implemented a public procurement process to select and sign a contract with an electricity supplier.

  • Chelsea signed a 24-month electricity supply contract with Direct Energy on March 5, 2024.

4. Public engagement and education

After the electricity supply contract was signed, Chelsea conducted an intensified public engagement effort to inform the community about program details and the ability to opt out. This effort included mailing a letter to each electricity account holder who would be automatically enrolled in the program if they did not opt out, as well as public information sessions.

  • Coming-soon postcard mailing date: April 9, 2024.
  • Automatic enrollment notification mailing date: April 16, 2024.

5. Program launch

At the conclusion of that effort, Chelsea Electricity Choice launched.

  • The program launched with June 2024 meter reads.