[program] is a municipal electricity aggregation, which is a form of group electricity purchasing.

Typically, your electric utility, [utility], provides two sets of services to you:

1. They deliver your electricity. Delivery services appear on your bill as Delivery Services charges.
2. They also supply your electricity, which means they buy electricity for you and pass the cost along to you. The cost of the electricity they buy for you appears on your bill as your Supply Services charge.

But in Massachusetts, consumers actually have three options for electricity supply:

• Your utility can serve as your electricity supplier, as just described. This is called Basic Service, and this is what we all have when we first open our electricity accounts if we don’t make any other choice. [utility]’s Basic Service price changes seasonally.
• You can sign a private contract with an electricity supplier that locks in an electricity supply price. The duration of that price will depend on the contract you sign.
• Your municipal government can sign a contract with an electricity supplier that you benefit from. This third option is municipal electricity aggregation, and this is what [program] is. [program] locks in long-term, stable prices.

For a brief overview of [program], click here. (pdf) [link to 2-pg overview]

Learn more about how aggregation works. [link]

[program] provides stable electricity supply prices, consumer protections, and the option to purchase more of your electricity from renewable sources. Learn more about program benefits. [link]

Municipal aggregation was approved at the [approval meeting and date]. After a period of state regulatory review and approval, [program] launched with [month year] meter reads.

The [City/Town] of [community] has signed a contract with [supplier] to supply electricity to [program] participants until [month year]. The [City/Town] intends to sign a new electricity supply when the current contract ends. The electricity supplier and renewable energy content may change, and the price may be higher or lower than the current price. You will continue in the same program option at the new price unless you inform the program otherwise. However, if the [City/Town] decides the program is not beneficial to the community, it is free to cancel the program at the end of the current supply contract and return all participants to [utility]’s Basic Service. The [CITY/TOWN] will provide advance notice of any such changes, and you will be free to opt out or change your option before the changes take effect.

Municipal electricity aggregation was enabled by the Massachusetts Restructuring Act of 1997 (Chapter 164, Section 134), which allows local municipal governments to aggregate the electricity supply loads of the electricity consumers within their geographic boundaries in order to negotiate more favorable terms with an electricity supplier.

State law requires aggregations to use an automatic enrollment model. [community] did not have a choice as to whether the program would be opt-in or opt-out.

However, participation is never required. You have the option to opt out before being automatically enrolled, or you may try the program and leave later. There is never any fee or penalty to opt out, and you may do so at any time.

If you have received a notice of automatic enrollment from the [City/Town], you do not need to take any action. Your account will be automatically enrolled after the opt-out deadline listed in the notice. View the most recent notice of automatic enrollment. [link to notifs & docs]

If you have not received a notice of automatic enrollment, you may request enrollment. [link]

Visit the Participating [link] page for more information.

To choose [option] or [option], complete the online form [link] or call customer support at [phone number].

Participation is open to all metered electricity accounts in [community].

For more details, please see the Participating page. [link]

Yes, however if you opt out of the program and want to re-enroll, you are not guaranteed the program price when you re-enroll. There’s a possibility that you will be charged a higher market price instead of the program price. You’ll just want to ask at the time you re-enroll.

You will see two changes on your [utility] electric bill as a result of participating in [program]:

1. [utility] will use a [program] price to calculate the [Supply Services charge/Generation Service Charge] on your bill.
2. Your bill will show [on-bill text] as your electricity supplier.

Additionally, the amount of electricity you receive from renewable sources will increase if you participate in [option(s)].

[If you have Eversource’s Budget Billing, it will continue to apply to the Delivery portion of your bill, but it will no longer apply to the Supply portion.]

Otherwise, everything else will remain the same. You will continue to receive your electric bill from [utility], you will continue to pay [utility], and you will continue to call [utility] if the power goes out.

If you are eligible for any discounts from [utility], such as a low-income discount or fuel assistance, those discounts will be unaffected by your participation in [program].

[program] will be integrated into your existing [utility] electric bill. You will not receive any additional bills because of participating in [program].

[utility] continues to send your bill, and you continue to pay them using whatever method you have set up with them.

To see what your electric bill will look like, view an example bill. [link]

The program will appear on your [utility] electric bill, and your [Electricity Supply charge/Generation Service Charge] will reflect the program option you are enrolled in. View an example [utility] bill to see where the program and price appear on your bill. [link]

No. There will be no change in the consistency or reliability of the electricity coming into your home or business as a result of participating in [program].

[utility] remains responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of electricity in [community]. Further, they have no preference whether they are your electricity supplier or you choose another supplier. [utility] does not profit from the supply portion of your bill. They make their profit from the delivery portion.

If you participate in a program option that includes additional electricity from renewable sources, it means more of the electricity that is put onto the grid on your behalf will come from renewable sources, but this does not change the overall reliability of the electricity on the grid.

Yes. If you are participating in community solar, or if you are receiving net metering credits or incentive payments for electricity produced by solar panels on your property, you will continue to receive your credits or incentive payments as a participant in [program].

Further, there will be no change in how they are calculated. Their calculation is not connected to your electricity supply price.

However, you could see a benefit. If your electricity supply charge is lower because the [program] price is lower than [utility]’s Basic Service price, the credits or incentive payments could go further in offsetting that charge.

Please note, however, that because [utility]’s Basic Service prices change and their future prices are not known, savings compared with [utility] can never be guaranteed.

Program prices are available on the Prices page. [link]

To see how much your monthly supply charge will be, use the Calculator. [link]

Maybe! According to a report by UMass Amherst, the majority of communities with aggregation programs do see some savings compared with [utility]’s Basic Service prices. [Right now, the prices for [options] are lower than [utility]’s residential Basic Service price.]

However, [program] offers long-term fixed prices, while [utility]’s prices change every 6 months or less. As a result, savings compared with [utility] can never be guaranteed.

If you are not happy with the program, you are always free to leave the program at any time with no fee or penalty.

[No change. National Grid’s Budget Plan will continue to apply to your entire bill.]

If you are eligible for any discounts, including a low-income discount or fuel assistance, you will continue to receive that discount with no change.

[If you have Eversource’s Budget Billing, it will continue to apply to the Delivery potion of your bill, but it will no longer apply to the Supply portion of your bill. If it is important to have Budget Billing applied to your whole bill, you should opt out of [program].

No. The delivery portion of your electric bill is not impacted by whether or not you participate in [program]. These charges are regulated.

No. Municipal electricity aggregation has been building momentum across Massachusetts. [community] is one of over 200 Massachusetts communities with aggregation programs. [Further, communities are increasingly implementing “green” aggregations like [program], which increase the amount of renewable electricity in the community’s electricity supply beyond the minimum amount required by state law.]

Municipal Aggregation was approved at the [approval meeting and date] as a way to help the local community to save money and protect against dramatic seasonal price swings that have been difficult to predict and challenging for many to manage. Aggregation can also deliver greener power more cost effectively.

Learn more about [program] benefits and goals. [link]

Municipal electricity aggregation was enabled by the Massachusetts Restructuring Act of 1997 (Chapter 164, Section 134), which allows local municipal governments to aggregate the electricity supply loads of the electricity consumers within their geographic boundaries in order to negotiate more favorable terms with an electricity supplier.

Municipal aggregations are subject to oversight by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and [community]’s Aggregation Plan was subject to a regulatory review and approval process before the [City/Town] was authorized to implement the program. [Learn more about [community]’s implementation process. [link]]

Over 200 Massachusetts communities have electricity aggregations.

All communications about [program] will include the [community] Seal. If you do not see the [City/Town] Seal, the communication is not from the [municipality] and is likely from an independent company.

Please note: [utility], the [municipality], and [program] do not make sales calls or visits to your home. If you receive a call or a visit, the person does NOT represent the [municipality], [program], or [utility].

If you want to confirm whether you have received a legitimate [City/Town] communication, you can contact customer support [link] with [community]’s program consultants.

If you receive a call or a visit from someone who wants to discuss your electricity, keep these two things in mind:

• You should treat your [utility] electricity account number like you treat your credit card information. Do not give it out unless you want to purchase your electricity from someone else.
• You do have the right to select an electricity supplier of your choice. If you choose to explore this option, please check the terms of the agreement carefully. Things to check for include, but are not limited to: minimum bill amounts, contract length requirements, early termination fees, low introductory rates that change after the introductory period ends, and rates that vary.

If you feel a salesperson has fraudulently identified themself as working for [utility] or the [City/Town], please report it to the Department of Public Utilities Consumer Division 617-737-2836, or DPUConsumer.Complaints@mass.gov.

Tax-exempt accounts that wish to maintain their tax-exempt status in [program] must submit tax-exemption documentation to the program’s electricity supplier.

Learn how to submit your tax-exemption documentation. [link]

Yes, however if you opt out of the program and want to re-enroll, you are not guaranteed the program price when you re-enroll. There’s a possibility that you will be charged a higher market price instead of the program price for the remainder of the current electricity supply contract. You’ll just want to ask at the time you re-enroll. If the program’s electricity supplier decides to charge market pricing, you will be notified before enrollment and can decide then whether to continue with enrollment or not.

While the program has an automatic enrollment model in accordance with state law, participation is never required. There is no penalty or fee to opt out, and you may do so at any time.

• If you receive a notice in the mail that your account will be automatically enrolled, you may opt out of the program before being automatically enrolled.
• You may also try the program and opt out at any time in the future.

If you opt out before being automatically enrolled, your electricity supplier will not change. If you opt out after being enrolled, your electricity account will be returned to [utility]’s Basic Service.

The [program] price is a long-term, fixed price, while [utility]’s Basic Service prices change every 6 months or less. It is normall in programs like [program] to have a price that is lower than [utility]’s price at some times but higher at other times. [program] cannot guarantee that it will beat [utility]’s Basic Service price at all times. The program aims to match or beat the average of the changing [utility] prices, although there is no guarantee that it will do so.

Remember that you are free to leave the program at any time and return to [utility]’s Basic Service with no penalty or fee.