In a move that stands to benefit both wallets and the environment, the City of Boston has unveiled new electricity rates for their Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) program. These new rates, effective this month, present a cost-saving opportunity for Boston's residents and small businesses, coming in under the current and future Eversource rates. According to Boston's official announcement, the average savings for Bostonians using BCCE has hovered around $200 annually when pitted against Eversource Basic Service—totaling nearly $260 million in savings over the span of three years.
The call to action for local residents and small business owners is clear: check your electricity bill and confirm you're a part of the BCCE program. A noticeable segment of customers who haven't joined BCCE could be unknowingly shelling out more for electricity via third-party suppliers, who have a track record of deploying low introductory rates that escalate steeply thereafter, coupled with hefty termination fees. Mayor Michelle Wu pointed out, "The new electricity rates through Boston Community Choice Electricity give Boston residents an opportunity to reduce their utility bills at a time when many families are struggling with our country’s affordability crisis," in a statement obtained by Boston's news release.
Currently, about 65 percent of Boston rate payers are enrolled in the BCCE, with new utility account holders getting automatic enrollment. Both BCCE Basic and Standard rates are set below Eversource's Basic Commercial and Residential rates, presenting straightforward cost saving for consumers. Further details on Eversource's rates, including winter rates and potential cost adjustments, are available through the City's announcement.
Boston isn't just making strides in financial savings, but also in green energy efforts, with a resistance to federal cuts on renewable energy projects, and a firm goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The BCCE Program has, between 2021-2024, cut down Boston’s carbon footprint by nearly 200,000 tons of CO2—roughly equivalent to the impact of removing about 46,000 gasoline-powered cars from the roads for a year. "Boston Community Choice Electricity is putting money back in the wallets of Boston residents," said Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Environment Commissioner and Director of the Green New Deal for the City of Boston, in a statement referenced by the City's news release.
This winter, Bostonians should also be on high alert for scammers posing as utility representatives, requesting immediate payments or sensitive information under false pretenses. Boston's BCCE and utilities will never make such demands, and residents can reach out to BCCE for scam-related inquiries or concerns. Mayor Wu has also publicized the Boston Energy Saver initiative, offering individual consultations to help residents and local businesses identify energy-saving upgrades and cost reductions, furthering the City's commitment to conservation and cost efficiency.
