FAQS

Your city/town has formed a Community Choice Aggregation Program. This Program allows local government to combine the purchasing power of its residents and businesses so that it can provide them with electricity supply options as an alternative to the utility’s Default Service. Once in place, the local government can monitor and set its own energy related goals for the program such as savings, price stability, and renewable energy options.

Your city/town used a competitive bid process to select an electricity supplier and establish rates for the Program.

Community Choice Aggregations are structured as OPT-OUT programs which means all utility Default Service consumers (“Eligible Consumers”) will automatically be enrolled in the Program unless they OPT-OUT.  A consumer notification letter was mailed to all Eligible Consumers explaining the program and the options to OPT-OUT.  If you were unaware of the Program, you may not have seen the letter or you did not realize that you had to take action to not be enrolled.

There was no contract to sign.  A letter was mailed notifying all Eligible Consumers. The letter was mailed first class and was sent from your city/town with their logo on the front.  All residents and businesses associated with returned/undeliverable mailings were not enrolled. You may have mistaken the municipal notice as junk mail and threw it away. If you did not OPT-OUT within 30 days, your account was enrolled.

No, you are not being billed twice. Your electric utility bill is divided into two services, Delivery and Supply.

Delivery is the process of bringing electricity to your home or business. Your local utility is responsible for the delivery of electricity, reading your meter, repairing the poles and wires, and restoring power.  The cost for delivery services is based on the kWh used multiplied by the utility’s Delivery rate. The aggregation does not affect these services or the associated costs.

Supply refers to the electricity itself. The cost for supply services is also based on the kWh used multiplied by a supply rate. If you do not choose your own competitive supplier or are not part of a municipal aggregation, the local utility is required to buy electricity for you and charges you at their supply rate, which is called Default Service.

You will continue to be charged for both Supply and Delivery regardless of whether you are in an aggregation, choose your own Competitive Supplier, or remain on utility Default Service.

No. If your bill seems to have doubled from a previous month, please check your electric usage history graph that is located to the left of your supplier service section on your utility bill.  This shows how many kilowatts hours (kWh) you have used each month.  The supply charge in the supply section of your bill is calculated by multiplying this kWh amount by the Program rate.  Month to month fluctuations in charge amounts can be caused by changes in usage behavior (e.g., increased usage in air conditioning, electric heat, holiday activities, etc.).  If you have questions or concerns regarding your kWh usage you should contact your local utility to verify there are no issues with your meter.

The Community Choice Aggregation Program is a municipal program which allows local government to combine the purchasing power of its residents and businesses so that it can provide them with an alternative electricity supply option.  The Program obtains competitively bid prices from Competitive Suppliers through a formal solicitation process. Consumers are no longer “stuck” with the cost and fluctuation of utility Default Service rates.

A Competitive Supplier is a power supplier other than your Local Utility. Competitive Suppliers provide power supply to consumers either through a Community Choice Aggregation Program or directly to consumers through individual contracts. Your electricity will be supplied by your Local Utility unless you have selected a Competitive Supplier on your own.

Your electric bill is divided into two parts: Delivery and Supply. Supply is not regulated and therefore can be provided by a Competitive Supplier. Delivery is still regulated and can only be provided by your Local Utility. Your Local Utility will continue to deliver your power supply over its wires. However, the electricity running through those wires can be provided by a Competitive Supplier.

Programs you see advertised are Competitive Supplier Programs in which the competitive supplier contracts directly with the individual consumer. While both Programs seek to lower your electric bill, they are run very differently.

BEWARE OF OTHER ENERGY OFFERS claiming to be associated with your community or Local Utility. You may receive direct mail, phone calls or even visits to your door from energy marketers seeking to enroll you in Competitive Supplier Programs. These marketers are NOT associated with the Community Choice Aggregation Program or with your Local Utility. The Community Choice Aggregation Program will notify you of the Program ONLY through mail or other mediums issued from your community (look for the official seal of your city/town).

You may see programs advertised to lower your electric bill by switching to a different provider. These Competitive Supplier Programs differ from Municipal Aggregation Programs. While both programs seek to lower your electric bill, these programs are run very differently.

Municipal Aggregation Programs are run by cities and towns in coordination with an energy consultant, such as Colonial Power Group. Program goals typically prioritize low, stable rates and renewable energy options for participating consumers. Program prices are established after competitive solicitations and are based on contract terms and conditions defined by the municipality. Program participants benefit from clearly defined terms of service, no entrance fees, no exit penalties, ease of entry and exit, and multiple options for customer service queries.

Competitive Supplier Programs are run by supply companies. Many of these companies profit from customer inattention. The companies attract new customers with a rate below the utility default service rate applicable at the time of the offering. The rate will be fixed for an initial term. Consumers willing and able to shop for electricity regularly, selecting new offers in advance of the expiry of every contract term, may do well for themselves. However, many consumers do not. At the end of the initial term the supplier will continue to serve the consumer at new rates as determined by the supplier (so-called ‘market-based’ rates). These market-based rates can quickly wipe out any savings the consumer realized through the initial term.

If you are interested in a Competitive Supplier Program, be sure to completely read and understand the price, term length and any other conditions of the contract before signing.

Cities and towns respect consumer choice and make no representation and take no position either for or against Competitive Supplier Programs. The individual consumer must carefully assess the terms and conditions of the contract and determine if it is in their own best interest.

Your city/town has signed a contract with a Competitive Supplier on behalf of your community as part of their Community Choice Aggregation Program.

You will not receive a Consumer Notification Letter if your Local Utility has your account listed as being contracted with a Competitive Supplier or if you have requested the Local Utility to put a “Supplier Block” on your account so that it is removed from all supplier marketing lists.  However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the Consumer Notification Letters are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized incorrectly at the time of the mailing.

You will receive the benefit of potentially lower rates for your electricity and therefore a lower electric bill.  Otherwise, you will not notice any change.   The only difference you will see is that the name of the Program’s Competitive Supplier will be printed under the “Supply/Generation Service Charges” section of your monthly bill.  You will continue to receive one bill from your Local Utility and you will continue to send payments to your Local Utility for processing. Your Local Utility will continue to read meters and maintain the distribution and transmission lines. Reliability and quality of service will remain the same. Furthermore, you will continue to have all existing consumer rights and protections.

If you have received a Consumer Notification Letter AND you have not opted out you will not need to do anything to participate.  You will automatically be enrolled in the Program.

Enrollment is automatic ONLY IF you have received a Consumer Notification Letter and have not opted out. Enrollment is NOT AUTOMATIC if you have not received a Consumer Notification Letter OR if your Local Utility had your account listed as being contracted with a Competitive Supplier at the time of enrollment. Also, you will not receive a consumer notification letter and therefore not be enrolled if you have requested the Local Utility to put a “Supplier Block” on your account so that it is removed from all supplier marketing lists.  If that is the case, consumers may have to call their Local Utility to be enrolled in the program.

Yes. You may OPT-IN by filling out the online Opt-In Form on your community’s Program website OR by calling the Program’s Competitive Supplier (listed on your community’s Program website) OR by calling Colonial Power Group, Inc. at (508) 485-5858. If you have a “Supplier Block” on your account, please contact your utility to have it removed prior to requesting enrollment in the Program to avoid any delays. Also, if you have previously contracted with a Competitive Supplier directly, you should confirm with them that you will not incur any fees for leaving their service.

Your enrollment will start on the meter read date stated on the Consumer Notification Letter.  You will see the new rate on your utility bill the following month.  For example, if your meter read enrollment date is January 1, your usage from January 1 to January 31 will be charged the new rate and billed on February 1.  If you opt-in any other time, enrollment can take up to two billing cycles before taking effect.

Each consumer has the right to choose their supplier. Enclosed in the Consumer Notification mailing is an Opt-Out Return Card. If you do not want to participate in the Community Choice Aggregation Program, you can sign and date the card and drop it in the mail OR fill out the Opt-Out Form on your community’s Program website, OR call the Program’s Supplier (listed on your community’s Program website) OR call Colonial Power Group, Inc. at (508) 485-5858. You will be removed from the list of participating consumers. The initial opt-out period is (30) days from the mailing date of the consumer notification letter.

Participation is designed to be as flexible as possible. You may leave the Community Choice Aggregation Program at no charge and be placed on your Local Utility’s Default Service or choose another Competitive Supplier on your own. Opting out of the Community Choice Aggregation Program is easy. You may fill out the online Opt-Out Form on your community’s Program website OR call the Program’s Supplier (listed on your community’s Program website) OR call Colonial Power Group, Inc. at (508) 485-5858. It may take a couple of billing cycles before you are back on your Local Utility’s Default Service. There is no early termination or cancellation fee to opt-out.

Large commercial consumers may request to be enrolled in the Program and the Program’s Supplier may offer the then- prevailing market rate rather than the Program rate. You may choose whether or not to accept the Supplier’s offer.

The Local Utility records should indicate that you already have a Competitive Supplier. If so, you will not be automatically enrolled in the Community Choice Aggregation Program. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the Consumer Notification Letters are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized incorrectly at the time of the mailing. This is why we recommend that you opt-out if you have received a Consumer Notification Letter and have contracted with a Competitive Supplier.

You will continue to receive those benefits from your Local Utility. Visit the Department of Energy’s website for more information about the state’s Electric Assistance Program.

Yes. You will continue to be eligible for energy efficiency program services and incentives offered by your Local Utility.

You may not benefit from participating in the Program and therefore will NOT be automatically enrolled. Net metering customers may lose certain benefits that only your utility can provide through Default Service. Net metering consumers should evaluate their net usage before seeking to enroll in the Program.

The Community Choice Aggregation Program will operate indefinitely unless and until your local government terminates the Program. Throughout the life of the Program each subsequent contract will vary by rate, term and possibly Competitive Supplier. The latest rates, terms and Program Supplier can be found on your community’s Program website or by calling Colonial Power Group, Inc. at (508) 485-5858.

Utility Default Service rates change twice a year or more depending on Local Utility rate class. As a result, the aggregation rate may not always be lower than the Default Service rate. The goal of the aggregation is to deliver savings over the life of the Program against the Default Service rate. However, such savings and future savings cannot be guaranteed.

RECs are Renewable Energy Certificates.  Click here to learn more.