Boxford Community Electricity is a program in development by the Town to provide residents and businesses more electricity supply options and more renewable energy. The program is a Town-vetted alternative to National Grid’s default supply and other third party electricity suppliers.
Next Step: Awaiting an Approval Order from DPU
In October 2022, Boxford submitted its plan to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to review. Now many months later, we are still waiting.
Boxford has fully cooperated with the DPU’s review, including participating in its public hearing on the Aggregation Plan on November 22, 2022. In July 2023, Boxford’s Select Board sent a letter requesting that DPU expedite its review process. Read the letter here. Follow along on the DPU’s website under Docket #22-128. Stay tuned for updates!
Boxford Community Electricity is the only electricity program in development by the Town– beware of look-alike offers and always look for the Town seal on materials sent to you!
Boxford Community Electricity Program Plan
Click to download the Updated Aggregation Plan for the Boxford Community Electricity program (PDF format)as well as a Key summarizing changes.
Copies of the Plan documents show redline changes to the original Aggregation Plan (from January 2022). Click below to download:
- Redline of Exhibit 1 (Plan)
- Redline of Exhibit 1-Att A (Education & Outreach Plan)
- Redline of Exhibit 2 (Electricity Supply Agreement)
Provide your comments through the form below. Alternatively, submit comments in writing to Town Administrator, 7A Spofford Road, Boxford, MA 01921 or by calling 978-861-1014.
Goals of Boxford Community Electricity
Competitive, Stable Price
Boxford Community Electricity will seek to provide long-term, advantageous and predictable rates for electricity that exceeds the Massachusetts renewable energy requirements. Savings compared to Eversource’s Basic Service rates cannot be guaranteed because future Eversource rates are unknown.
More Renewable Energy
Boxford Community Electricity’s standard and optional products include more renewable energy than required by Massachusetts. This means you can use cleaner electricity and support the growth of renewable energy generation in our region.
Increased Choice and Easy Participation
The program offers different options for electricity supply so that everyone in Boxford can find an option that fits their budget and climate goals.
Participants in Boxford Community Electricity may leave the program at any time without penalty.
Customers with new electricity accounts can join the program at any time.
How It Works
Boxford Community Electricity does not replace National Grid as our electric utility: they continue to deliver electricity, repair outages and manage all billing. The program offers alternatives for the Supply portion of your bill. See the Understanding Your Bill section on the National Grid’s website to see the difference between Supply and Delivery sections.
The program is open to electricity customers in Boxford- whether they are a resident, a business, a renter or an owner.
Prior to program launch, Boxford will conduct extensive education and outreach to notify our community.
The program is structured with voluntary participation and automatic enrollment.
- Voluntary participation: customers can leave the program at any time – either before the program starts or during – without penalty.
- Automatic enrollment for most: In Boxford, most residential and some business customers are receiving their electricity supply from the National Grid Basic Service. For these customers, the entry into the program is simple and easy. They are given a 30-day period to consider their participation in the program. At the end of the 30-day period, customers who choose to participate (i.e. do not opt out) will be automatically enrolled in the program. Customers will be enrolled into the Boxford Standard product, unless they have chosen one of the optional products.
Each customer eligible for automatic enrollment will receive a Customer Notification Letter in the mail. It will have program details and provide ways to opt out via prepaid mailer, phone and online form.
- Opt-in required for some: Those Boxford residents and businesses who have already chosen an electricity supplier other than National Grid are not automatically enrolled in the program, though they can voluntarily opt in to the program at any time. The Department of Public Utilities advises all customers of third party suppliers to check their contract terms as their supplier may charge them a fee or a penalty to leave before the end of their contract with their supplier.
Solar electricity consumers will not be impacted and will continue to receive all net metering credits while participating in the Program.
Budget Billing and Low Income Delivery Rate customers will continue to receive those benefits while participating in the Program
Questions and Support
Have questions or need help? Please visit the support page, which contains the contact a form for comments.