Somerville’s Community Choice Electricity Program To Stabilize Costs

SOMERVILLE, MA — This year, the City of Somerville is continuing Community Choice Electricity (CCE) program, which will stabilize rising costs and increase amounts of zero-carbon renewable energy from regional sources.

Direct Energy is Somerville's current supplier through the CCE program and will offer new electricity rates that will be fixed from November 2022 through December 2024.

Since its launch in July 2017, the CCE program has served as a way for renters, businesses, and homeowners across Somerville to fight climate change at home by increasing the share of renewable energy used to provide their electricity. This shift to clean energy supply supports Somerville Climate Forward, the city’s climate action plan, and the mayor’s net-zero carbon negative goal.

“Many of us want to do more to fight climate change but aren’t sure about how we personally can make an impact,” Mayor Katjana Ballantyne said in a statement. “Well, one important and easy step for Somerville renters, businesses, and homeowners is to use Somerville's Community Choice Electricity. This City-supported program helps you support the shift to clean energy and the creation of green energy jobs close to home, and that’s a great way to help build a more sustainable future.”

Starting in November, each of the program’s three levels will feature increased percentages of renewable energy:

• The Local Green option will now provide 40-44 percent zero-carbon renewable energy from regional sources, double the current state requirements. New customers will be automatically enrolled in the Local Green option.
• The Somerville Basic option matches the state-mandated minimum requirement for renewable energy.
• The 100 percent Local Green option provides an additional 100 percent zero-carbon, regionally produced renewable energy on top of the state minimum requirements.

Nearly 1,000 accounts are currently enrolled in the 100 percent Local Green option and have contributed one-fifth of the voluntary renewable energy purchased through this program, the city said.

Since 2017, the program has collectively purchased an additional 64 million kWh of zero-carbon, regionally produced renewable energy, equivalent to taking more than 10,400 cars off the road for a year, and has saved residents nearly $11 million.

Somerville’s CCE program also prioritizes equity in the renewable energy sector. Anyone who pays a residential or business electric account in Somerville is eligible to participate. Additionally, income-eligible customers are still able to receive Eversource’s 36 percent discount while participating in Somerville’s CCE program.

For more information on the program, visit CCE.SomervilleMa.gov or contact 311 (617-666-3311). Residents can change their enrollment in Somerville’s CCE program any time without penalty online at CCE.SomervilleMa.gov.

In addition, applications for fuel assistance for this winter are now open. To learn more about ways to reduce electric costs, visit somervillema.gov/r2nz or contact Cambridge-Somerville Fuel Assistance at cambridgema.gov/iwantto/applyforfuelassistance.