Press Release from the Town of Westborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA. Beginning in November, Westborough’s electricity aggregation program, Westborough Power Choice, will begin providing cleaner electricity to Westborough residents and businesses. Through a new electricity supply contract with Dynegy, Westborough will buy an additional 20% of its electricity from renewable sources like the sun and the wind, in addition to the minimum amount required by state law. This change brings Westborough Power Choice, which was formerly known as Westborough Community Choice, in line with the Town’s sustainability goals. The change will also put Westborough on the short list of state- leading cities and towns that are using electricity aggregation to move their communities toward using cleaner electricity sources.

In addition, participants in the 100% Green plan, which is the 100% renewable electricity option, will begin receiving all of their electricity from renewable energy sources within New England. Previously, participants in the 100% Green plan received most of their electricity from wind projects outside of New England. With this change, participants in the 100% Green plan will increase their support for local jobs and increase the demand for locally produced renewable electricity, which helps to drive the development of new clean energy projects in New England.

With the start of this new electricity supply contract, a new Budget option will now also be available. The new Budget plan includes no additional renewable electricity but does offer the program benefits of long-term price stability and consumer protections.

“Westborough Power Choice will have saved our community approximately $4.7 million between its launch in February 2016 and November of this year,” said Westborough Town Manager Kristi Williams. “With this new contract, we are working to expand the value that the program provides to include supplying cleaner electricity as well. And we have put the new Budget Option in place to ensure that the most cost-sensitive members of our community can continue benefit as the program evolves.”

Program prices will change with the Dynegy contract to reflect changes in the electricity market and in regulatory costs since the previous contract with Public Power was signed. The new prices will be as follows:

Standard: 10.425 cents/kWh, which includes an additional 20% renewable electricity (MA Class I RECs) above minimum state requirements. Minimum state renewable electricity requirements increase every year, so participants in Standard will receive a total of 36% renewable electricity in 2020, 38% in 2021, 40% in 2022, and 42% in 2023. Most participants are enrolled in Standard.

100% Green: 12.585 cents/kWh, which includes 100% from renewable electricity projects in New England (MA Class I RECs).

Budget: 9.709 cents/kWh. The new Budget plan includes no additional renewable electricity above the state minimum.

All active program participants will automatically be enrolled into the new Dynegy contract with their November 2020 meter read, as Westborough’s current contract with Public Power ends.

The new program price will first appear on December 2020 National Grid electricity bills, and the electricity supplier will be listed as “Dynegy-Westborough Power Choice Aggregation”. The new prices are designed to provide long-term price stability and are fixed for 36 months until November 2023 meter reads. Prices apply to all rate classes, including residential, commercial, and industrial accounts.

Participants will be enrolled in the same program option they have in the current Public Power contract. However, participants may choose a different program plan or leave the program before the contract with Dynegy takes effect, and at any time in the future, with no penalty or fee. Those who wish to make a change should submit their request no later than 10 days before their November 2020 meter read date, which can be found on the National Grid electricity bill received in October. Changes can be requested on the program website, WestboroughPowerChoice.com, or by contacting customer support at 844-483-5004. Anyone who is not currently enrolled in the program and wishes to enroll with the new contract may also do so on the website or by calling customer support.

Both the new Standard and Budget prices are lower than the most recent 12-month average National Grid residential price of 11.93 cents/kWh, and both are expected to be below National Grid’s winter price for 2020, which will take effect on November 1. However, during the contract with Dynegy, National Grid’s Basic Service prices may at times be lower than the Westborough Power Choice price. This is because National Grid’s fixed Basic Service prices change every 6 months for residential and commercial customers and every 3 months for industrial customers. Westborough’s program has the potential to provide savings when compared with the average of National Grid’s changing prices, but because future National Grid prices are not known, savings cannot be guaranteed.

Tax-exempt account holders will need to submit tax-exemption documentation to Dynegy to retain their tax-exempt status in the program. This documentation must be submitted to Dynegy even if it was submitted previously to National Grid and Public Power. To be in compliance with Massachusetts Department of Revenue requirements, each electricity supplier is required to obtain tax exemption documentation from each tax-exempt account holder that they serve. Information about where to submit tax-exemption documentation is available on WestboroughPowerChoice.com.

Westborough Power Choice is a group buying program for electricity from the Town of Westborough for Westborough residents and businesses. Massachusetts State law allows cities and towns to choose the electricity supplier for their electricity customers rather than having the local electric utility, which is National Grid for Westborough, buy their electricity.

Westborough Power Choice offers long-term pricing and consumer protections, such as the ability to leave the program at any time with no penalty or fees. Participating in the program changes the price that National Grid uses to calculate the supplier services portion of participants’ electricity bills. National Grid’s delivery charges are not impacted by participation in Westborough Power Choice.

More information is available by visiting the program website at WestboroughPowerChoice.com or by calling customer support with Westborough’s program consultants at 844-483-5004