Boston Climate Action Network

Campaign Update – City Signs CCE Electricity Contract!

The City of Boston has selected Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., as the electricity supplier for the Community Choice Electricity program (CCE). It has also announced that CCE will offer three “products” or electricity plans: Standard (the default, which customers will get unless they request otherwise), Optional Green 100, and Optional Basic. Under the contract signed with Constellation in late October, the price for each product will be constant for the first nine months of the program, February through November, 2021.

Optional Green 100 will offer 100% renewables. Optional Basic will contain Massachusetts’ legal minimum percentage of energy to come from renewable sources—18% in 2021. The content for Standard will be set near the end of this month. At that time, Eversource will have published its winter rates, allowing the City to calculate how much “green power” they can offer in the Standard option and still keep the price attractive. Stay tuned after Thanksgiving!

Climate News – The People Voted; Climate is the Priority

Both locally and nationally, voters have expressed climate change as one of the most important issues to them. In an NBC Exit Poll surveying early and Election Day voters nationwide, 68% of voters said they believe climate change to be a serious problem. And here in Massachusetts, our voters echoed this stance on prioritizing climate change. A ballot initiative appearing on ballots in Boston and other select towns asked voters if they believe our representatives should push forward legislation propelling Massachusetts to 100% renewable energy use within two decades. 88% of voters in Boston voted yes, and in all other towns with this ballot initiative, no less than 70% of voters selected yes.

It is clear that more and more people recognize the serious threat climate change poses. BCAN is encouraged to continue fighting for climate justice with the growing support and consensus around climate action!

What Can You Do?

Many City of Boston residents recently received a letter from Mayor Walsh’s Environment Department about competitive electricity suppliers. The letter’s purpose: “to make sure you know who is supplying your electricity, how to identify predatory electric companies, and how the City of Boston’s new Community Choice Electricity program can benefit you.”

We echo the importance of checking your bill to confirm whether or not your current supplier is listed as “Eversource Basic Service.” If you have Eversource Basic Service, it should look like this:

Your bill will always be from Eversource, but the supplier may be different.

If you signed up with a supplier other than Eversource Basic Service, you will not be automatically included when Boston begins enrollment for its Community Choice Electricity program next month. To learn how you might switch to Basic Service so you can participate in Community Choice Electricity, read this guide from the City.