Newton Power Choice
Welcome to Newton Power Choice, an electricity program from the City of Newton for Newton residents and businesses.
Through Newton Power Choice, residents and business in Newton will automatically buy renewable electricity to match 60% of their electricity use, which is the highest amount of any community electricity program in Massachusetts.
The program is a City-vetted alternative to Eversource’s Basic Service and to other electricity offers in the market place. Newton Power Choice will increase the amount of renewable energy in the City’s electricity supply, while providing price stability, consumer protections, and the potential for savings, though savings cannot be guaranteed.
Newton Power Choice is a form of group electricity purchasing known as an electricity aggregation. More than 140 communities in Massachusetts are already engaged in electricity aggregation. The Newton Power Choice price will be used to calculate the supply charge portion of your Eversource electricity bill. (Learn how aggregation works.)
New electricity choices
Newton Power Choice offers new new electricity choices that give you greater control over the environmental characteristics and price of your electricity supply.
- Through the Standard Offering, which is the default program offering, you will buy renewable electricity that matches a total of 60% of your electricity use (46% renewable energy in addition to the 14% minimum required by the state).
You may also choose one of the other program options:
- 100% Green – buy renewable electricity to match 100% of your electricity use (opt up)
- Basic – buy no additional renewable electricity beyond the minimum required by the state (NOTE: This is the Basic option in Newton Power Choice. It is different from Eversource’s Basic Service.) (opt down)
All choices, including the Standard Offering, will purchase renewable electricity from New England-based renewable energy projects.
How to participate
Most Newton electricity customers will be automatically enrolled. Specifically:
- All Newton electricity customers that have Eversource’s Basic Service (Eversource customers that have not signed a contract with an electricity supplier) will be automatically enrolled in the Standard Offering with their March 2018 meter read unless they choose another option or opt out. The Newton Power Choice price will first appear on April 2019 Eversource electricity bills.
The automatic enrollment model is state law.
If you are eligible for automatic enrollment, you will receive a letter in January from the City with information about the program, how to change your program option, and how to opt out. The letter will include the City seal, the Newton Power Choice logo, and the Mayor’s name at the bottom.
If you have already signed a contract with an electricity supplier, you will not be automatically enrolled, but you are invited to join Newton Power Choice. If you know you will not be automatically enrolled but you wish to join, please contact Direct Energy at 1-866-968-8065.
- For enrollment request received before 2/18, Direct Energy will take your information and call you back after 2/18 to obtain your consent for enrollment. That return phone call will include a third-party to verify your consent for enrollment and will require approximately 15 minutes.
- For enrollment requests received after 2/18, you will be taken through the third-party verification process immediately at the time you call, and the call will require approximately 15 minutes.
NOTE: If you receive mail about an electricity offer, but you do not see the Newton Power Choice logo, the City seal, and the Mayor’s name, the mail is NOT from the City program.
Opting out
Participation in Newton Power Choice is not required.
You may opt out of the program before being enrolled and any time after enrollment with no fee or penalty.
