What is Natick's Electricity Aggregation Program?
The town of Natick has negotiated an electric contract for all its residents and businesses. Residents and businesses can opt into the program and source 100% of their energy from New England-based renewables.
Who can join?
All Natick residents and businesses who receive an electric bill are eligible, including:
• homeowners
• renters
• apartment tenants
• anyone who has solar panels or geothermal systems
If you get an electric bill, the aggregation is for you!
Why should you join?
• Your home or business can be powered by 100% Green energy generated in New England.
• Because the town is effectively buying electricity in bulk, it is generally less expensive than if each resident individually signed similar contracts.
• No scams or hidden fees. The town vets all suppliers through a public, transparent process, and weeds out inferior suppliers.
• It helps the New England economy. The 100% option sources its electricity entirely from Class I Renewables local to New England. This improves our energy independence while creating local jobs.
• It pushes electricity suppliers toward renewables. Massachusetts has a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard that requires suppliers to provide a percentage of their electricity from renewables. Opting up is a way to show the state and electric suppliers that you want them to move in the direction of clean energy.
• It is an effective way of combating climate change and the environmental destruction associated with coal and gas drilling.
How do I join?
The process is very simple and takes less than 5 minutes.
1. Find a recent electric bill.
2. Visit https://masspowerchoice.com/
3. Enter your details, including your electricity account number (which is on your electric bill).
4. Select the 100% Green program option.
5. Hold on to your electric bill for a few days. You will receive a call from the supplier, Direct Energy, confirming that you have opted up, and they will ask for details from your electric bill.
6. You will join the aggregation starting from the next billing period. Your next electric bill will reflect this.
How much does it cost?
For the average homeowner, joining the aggregation and opting up to 100% renewables would increase their electric bill by about $19 per month. That’s 100% Green for about the price of 5 frappucinos a month!
If I join, whom do I pay my electric bill to? And whom do I call if there’s an outage? How does this affect my service?
Very little would change. If you paid your electric bill to Eversource, you would continue to do so. If an outage occurs, or a line goes down, you would call Eversource to fix it. If you received benefits like fuel assistance or a low-income delivery rate, those benefits will continue when you opt up.
What if I already have solar panels or geothermal?
Even people with solar or geothermal systems use grid-tied electricity from time to time. Joining the aggregation ensures that any electricity you receive from the grid comes from renewable energy.
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