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Walpole Power Choice Savings Program

Posted on: June 1, 2017 - 4:33pm

Walpole Power Choice program will deliver electricity price stability and savings

Program will launch with savings of 0.88 cents/kWh below Eversource prices

 

WALPOLE, MA –Walpole residents and businesses will soon have a new, lower rate for the electricity supply portion of their Eversource electric bill. In July 2017, the Town of Walpole will launch the Walpole Power Choice municipal electricity aggregation program. By bulk purchasing electricity for the entire community within the program, the Town was able to negotiate a rate that is nearly a full penny below the Eversource Basic Service rate at program launch. Walpole has signed a contract with Agera Energy for the fixed price of 9.88 cents/kWh. This price will be in effect from July 2017 meter reads to January 2019 meter reads and will affect the supplier services portion of participants’ Eversource electric bill. 

The program offers two Town-vetted alternatives to Eversource Basic Service and to other electricity supply offers in the marketplace:

Power Choice Standard is the default program offering and provides a fixed price of 9.88 cents/kWh. Eversource Basic Service customers will be automatically enrolled in Power Choice Standard on the date of their July 2017 meter read.

Power Choice Green offers an optional upgrade to 100% green energy, with almost all of that energy being generated by renewable energy projects in New England. The Power Choice Green option is available by request for a fixed price of 10.29 cents/kWh.

“We established this program to provide protection for our community members – both from the seasonal fluctuation of Eversource electricity supply prices and from the aggressive marketing that can sometimes accompany other electricity supply offers in the marketplace,” said Walpole Town Administrator Jim Johnson. “I feel good that we can offer a strong combination of savings, a fixed price, and the ability to leave at any time. My hope is that this program will make life easier for Walpole residents and businesses because they know the Town is looking out for them and providing them with an electricity supply option that they can trust.”

All Walpole electricity customers that currently receive Eversource Basic Service will be automatically enrolled in the Walpole Power Choice program. Those who are eligible for automatic enrollment will receive a letter in the mail with program information in June. Electricity customers who have already established a contract with their own electricity supplier will not be automatically enrolled and will not receive a letter, but they may join the program by calling Agera Energy directly at 1-888-593-4225 and asking to enroll.

Eversource will continue to be responsible for delivering electricity to Walpole and for addressing power outages. Program participants will continue to receive and pay just one bill from Eversource, and this will be the only bill they receive as participants in the Walpole Power Choice program. Those who are eligible for discounts from Eversource, such as a low-income discount, will continue to receive those same benefits as a participant in the program. Those with solar panels on their property will continue to receive net metering credits as a participant in this program, and those credits will continue to be calculated based on the Eversource Basic Service rate, not on the program rate.

Residents and businesses that do not wish to participate in the Walpole Power Choice program may opt out of the program before launch or any time after launch with no penalty or free. Those who choose to opt out will remain on Eversource Basic Service for the supplier services portion of their Eversource electric bill. Those who wish to opt out before the program begins must do so by July 7, 2017. Opt out requests may be submitted by calling Agera Energy at 1-888-593-4225 or online at www.masspowerchoice.com/walpole, or by signing and returning the reply card received in the mail.

While the program will provide savings at launch, savings are not guaranteed. The program price is fixed until January 2019 while Eversource Basic Service prices will fluctuate in that time. The program goal is to provide savings when compared with the average of the changing Eversource Basic Service prices.

For more information, the public is invited to attend any one of the scheduled information sessions:

  • Wednesday, June 28, 3:00 PM, in the Community Room of Walpole Library
  • Wednesday, June 28, 7:00 PM in the Community Room of Walpole Library
  • Thursday, June 29, 11:30 AM at the Walpole Council on Aging.

Additionally, an interview about the program will be recorded by Walpole Community Television on June 15, and the recording will be available on demand from the Walpole Community Television website.

 

Additional information is available from the Walpole Power Choice program website at www.masspowerchoice.com/walpole , and also by contacting the Town’s program consultants at 1-844-379-9936 or walpole@masspowerchoice.com.