Melrose electricity customers will have a chance to weigh in before the city revises how it administers its community power program.
The proposal could influence local electricity options, reporting, and future supply offerings. Public comments on an updated aggregation plan will be accepted through Friday, Oct. 30.
Here's what to know
Melrose is holding a formal public comment period on proposed revisions to Melrose Community Power, the city's municipal electricity aggregation program, according to Patch. Written feedback from residents will be accepted through Friday, Oct. 30.
The proposed update comes after the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued new municipal aggregation guidance in July 2024. That introduced rules giving cities and towns more authority over program operations while adding stricter transparency requirements.
According to city officials, the revised plan is designed to align Melrose Community Power with that state guidance. They also say it would let Melrose change the program's format without going through a lengthy DPU approval process.
The changes would also broaden the annual performance reporting and preserve flexibility to add more electricity supply options in the future.
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More background
Melrose Community Power launched in June 2019, following state approval of the city's original aggregation plan introduced that January. That earlier plan laid out the structure for how the local electricity supply program would operate.
Customers currently have three supply options, and the existing rates are fixed through December 2027 meter reads. The default plan, Melrose Local Green, costs 14.723 cents per kilowatt-hour; Melrose Basic costs 14.310 cents per kilowatt-hour; and Melrose Local Green 100% costs 15.599 cents per kilowatt-hour.
The plans vary not only by price but also by renewable energy content. Melrose Local Green includes 10% more renewable electricity than state law requires, while Melrose Local Green 100% matches all of a customer's electricity use with renewable energy.
What can be done?
Residents can look over both the current aggregation plan and the proposed revision on the Melrose Community Power website before sending comments.
Comments can be submitted through the website's online form or by email to Good Energy, the consultant for the city's program. Emails must use the subject line "Melrose Plan Comments."
Current customers can still change among the program's three supply options or leave the program without any fee.
Where can I learn more?
For more on how people are navigating electricity options and local energy policy, these stories look at community solar in Massachusetts, green power shopping, and efforts in Ohio, Maine, and New Hampshire to expand or reshape energy choices.
• Massachusetts residents are being invited to explore how community solar can cut household electricity costs.
• Ohio lawmakers are considering a community energy pilot that could lower residents' utility bills.
• Three Maine towns are pursuing a regional utility plan to rein in power bills.
• New Hampshire has signed plug-in solar into law, barring utilities from charging approval fees.
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