Uxbridge Community Electricity Program

To Opt In or Opt Out of Uxbridge Community Electricity or if you have questions about your participation, contact the electricity supplier directly, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065, 8 AM – 8 PM EST, Monday – Friday (8 AM – 5 PM EST Saturday) or by email at aggregationsupport@directenergy.com.

News as of 5.2.24

Reminder: Our Uxbridge Electricity Supply Program & Recent In-Mail Offers
The Town of Uxbridge offers an electricity supply program called Uxbridge Community Electricity, which has been active since March 2023. Recently, many residents received offers in the mail from a different electricity supplier, which compared their prices to the Town’s program. As you consider this or other offers you may receive, the Town would like to remind residents and businesses about the goals and benefits of Uxbridge Community Electricity and the risks of electricity supply offers from competitive or “third-party” suppliers.

The Attorney General’s office regularly produces reports demonstrating that residential customers served directly by competitive suppliers tend to lose money, especially low-income customers.

• See “AG: Mass. residents have lost more than $577M to competitive electric suppliers” at https://www.masslive.com/news/2024/04/ag-mass-residents-have-lost-more-than-577m-to-competitive-electric-suppliers.html
• Make sure you check the fine print of any supply contract to see if there are cancellation penalties, or if the rate could go variable after a certain time period.

Uxbridge Community Electricity is very different than the competitive suppliers referred to by the Attorney General - our program is focused on benefitting our community and we are committed to transparency. Learn more at https://uxbridgeelectricity.org/.

• Our current pricing for Uxbridge Community Electricity offers a stable price, fixed for nearly two years, from March 2023 to December 2024.
• So far during these two years, the average residential customer in Uxbridge that participated in our program has saved over $130 compared to National Grid Basic Service
• Uxbridge Community Electricity costs less than the current National Grid residential Basic Service price.
• Because National Grid residential Basic Service prices change every six months, we cannot guarantee that we will always be lower.
• Uxbridge will always notify you ahead of any price change, and you can always change your option in our program or leave our program at any time. Visit https://uxbridgeelectricity.org/.

Later this year, the Town will announce new pricing to take effect after December 2024.

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older News/postings 

4/20/23:  Uxbridge program pricing took effect as of a participant’s March meter read. Please note that most Uxbridge residents have a late March meter read (e.g., March 29). Electricity bills for any time before your March meter read will not include the program pricing. Direct Energy has identified all affected customers and is working on a letter to send to to these customers. Direct Energy will also be calculating refunds for this group and rectifying the enrollment delays. 

SCAM ALERT - BE AWARE!

4/6/23: Update from Direct Energy - SCAM ALERT!!  Residents in some other towns have been receiving phone calls claiming that it would cost them $900 to continue to participate in the Community Electricity Aggregation.  This is NOT THE CASE. Please know that the supplier or anyone else affiliated with your program will not contact any customer unless the customer contacts them proactively with a question or concern.  If you receive a call like this, please let the Town Manager's Office know.  508-278-8600 x2. 
 

4/6/23:  Additionally, some residents will not start to see a savings until the bill that they receive in the mail in April.  Good Energy apologies for any confusion; the Program did indeed launch, but with the MARCH 2023 meter read, as indicated on ratepayers' National Grid bills. Those dates vary a bit within specific communities, so the language in the DPU-approved letter was left more general. Additionally, and unfortunately, months do not prorate. Your next bill should, however, show the new program supply charges, effectively beginning March 27th or 28th.  Apologies for the confusion. Again, we apologize for the confusion and the lack of specificity with regard to a precise program start date.  Have questions about the start of the rate, please reach out to:   John P. O'Rourke  @ john.orourke@goodenergy.com

If you have questions about your participation, contact the electricity supplier, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065, 8 AM – 8 PM EST, Monday – Friday (8 AM – 5 PM EST Saturday) or by email at aggregationsupport@directenergy.com.

2/13/23:  Click here - watch the presentation made by Direct Energy to the Board of Selectmen explaining the program

1/12/22  - Click here - to read about the program  

Click here - Uxbridge Community Electrity Website

Previous Information
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12/21/22:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Uxbridge Community Electricity Program: Launching March 2023 with a rate of 16.310 cents per kWh

Uxbridge, MA – (12/21/22) – The Town of Uxbridge announces that it will launch its electricity aggregation program, known as Uxbridge Community Electricity, in March 2023. The program is designed to provide more electricity options for residents and businesses in Uxbridge. The program was approved by residents at Town Meeting and by the Department of Public Utilities.

The program prices will be fixed over the 21-month term of the Electric Service Agreement from March 2023 through December 2024. The standard product of the program will be 16.310 cents per kWh. The National Grid Residential Basic Service rate from November 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023 is 33.891 cents per kWh. Future savings under the program compared to the National Grid Residential Basic Service rate are not guaranteed.

The program will have one optional product with 100% renewable energy content at 17.850 cents per kWh.  All additional renewable energy will be provided from MA Class I Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

In late January 2023, Uxbridge will start a public outreach effort to inform residents and businesses about the program. All Uxbridge electricity accounts on National Grid Basic Service will be eligible for automatic enrollment in the standard product as of their March 2023 meter read. At least 30 days before enrollment, each eligible customer will receive a Customer Notification Letter with detailed program information and instructions on how to choose an optional product or how not to participate. Customers can opt-out of the program at any time without penalties or termination fees.

Customers who are currently enrolled with a third-party electric supplier will not receive the Customer Notification Letter and will not be automatically enrolled. These customers can voluntarily join the program but may be subject to penalties or early termination fees from their current supplier.

The price for all program products includes a commission fee of $0.001 per kWh for the aggregation consultant for program management.

For more information about the program, go to uxbridgeelectricity.org or call 508-301-4152

Press Release Contact: Steven Sette, ssette@uxbridge-ma.gov; (508) 278-8600 x 2002

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM CLICK HERE.

10/19/22 - DPU Approval  - Click Here 

The Uxbridge Community Electricity website, you can find more details about the program and follow the program development timeline.  There is also a form to get in touch with the program organizers should you have any questions and offer your feedback.