Fall 2023-2025 New Contract Information

Prices for Westborough Power Choice, Westborough’s electricity aggregation program, will move to market levels when the current contract with Dynegy ends and a new, 24-month contract with Direct Energy Services, LLC (“Direct Energy”) takes effect in November. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

The electricity market and regulatory costs have changed since the Dynegy contract was signed in 2020, and the new prices are rising to reflect current market conditions. The new Direct Energy prices will be higher than current prices but lower than National Grid’s 9-month winter residential price of 18.213 cents/kWh, which takes effect November 1. Because National Grid’s price will change in August 2024, savings from that date cannot be guaranteed.

Westborough Power Choice offers participants three plans to choose from: Standard, 100% Green, and Budget. The new prices for each plan are as follows:

Standard Plan - 14.32 cents/kWh: This plan includes an additional 20% renewable electricity from new renewable energy projects in our region (MA Class I RECs) above the minimum state requirement. Most participants are enrolled in this plan.

100% Green Plan - 16.39 cents/kWh: This plan includes 100% renewable electricity from new renewable energy projects in our region (MA Class I RECs).

Budget Plan - 13.57 cents/kWh: This plan includes no additional renewable electricity above the state minimum requirement.

The new prices are designed to provide long-term stability and are fixed for 24 months from November 2023 to November 2025 meter reads.

Westborough Power Choice has a track record of providing measurable value to the community, including providing price protection during last winter’s volatile electricity market. To date, Westborough Power Choice has saved participants more than $18 million since the program’s launch in 2016. In addition, through the program, participants in the Standard and 100% Green Plans buy more electricity generated from renewable sources than is required by law. Their participation has helped the community to avoid more than 33 million pounds of CO2 emissions. This is equivalent to the emissions associated with more than 3,331 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles for a year.

It is important to note that, while the Town aims to provide prices that are competitive with National Grid, National Grid’s prices change, and their future prices are not known. As a result, future savings compared with National Grid cannot be guaranteed.

No action is required for current Westborough Power Choice participants. All active program participants will automatically be enrolled into the new Direct Energy contract with their November 2023 meter read. The new program price will first appear on December 2023 National Grid electric bills, and the electricity supplier will be listed as “Direct Energy – Westborough Power Ch.”

Participants will be enrolled in the same program plan they have in the current Dynegy contract. However, participants may choose a different program plan or leave the program before the contract with Direct Energy takes effect, and at any time in the future, with no penalty or fee.

Tax-exempt account holders will need to submit tax-exemption documentation to Direct Energy to retain their tax-exempt status in the program. This documentation must be submitted to Direct Energy even if it was submitted previously to National Grid and Dynegy. Information about where to submit tax-exemption documentation is available at WestboroughPowerChoice.com.

Westborough Power Choice is a group electricity purchasing program 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 have 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 Supply Services portion of participants’ electric bills. National Grid’s delivery charges are not impacted by participation in Westborough Power Choice. Additional terms and conditions apply to large commercial customers.

To enroll, make changes to enrollment, or get more information, participants are encouraged to visit the program website at WestboroughPowerChoice.com or contact customer support with Westborough’s program consultants at 1-844-483-5004.