Common Questions About Boston Community Choice Electricity

The BCCE is an opt-out program. This means that Eversource Basic Service customers are automatically enrolled in the Program unless they opt-out. If a customer initially opts out of the BCCE, they are free to enroll at a later date. If a customer is enrolled in the BCCE, they can leave at any time. In either case, there are no penalties or fees.

• BCCE is an opt-out program in accordance with Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 164, § 134). As of 2025, there are more than 190 municipalities that already have established programs. All of them are opt-out programs.
• The opt-out provision makes the Program the new default electricity supply option for Boston’s customers. It’s the electricity supply option that customers receive if they take no action on their electricity account. Previously, this role was played by Eversource Basic Service.
• BCCE auto-enrolls new Eversource Basic Service supply customers on a quarterly basis. BCCE sends a consumer notification letter that also contains an opt-out card. Customers, for any reason, can choose to opt-out or change their plan here.  

The BCCE program signs contracts with electricity suppliers that then serve and supply customers with electricity. 

Direct Energy, “Direct”, is the Program’s current supplier. Direct won the City of Boston’s competitive bidding process. They have a contract with the City from December 2023 through December 2025. 

The bidding process follows the City’s standard procurement guidelines. Bidders were assessed on a number of criteria, including their:

• experience with large municipal aggregation programs,
• credit-worthiness,
• ability to further the Program’s six principles and values, and
• pricing for the Program’s different plans.

The City of Boston will send out notification letters on a quarterly basis to new Eversource Basic Service customers. Basic Service customers who previously opted-out of the BCCE Program will not receive notification letters a second time for the same account These notification letters include:

• a consumer notification letter
• a language access document, and
• an opt-out reply card.

Customers who do not wish to be enrolled should sign and mail the opt-out reply card with the provided envelope. Otherwise, they will be welcomed and placed in the Program’s standard product.

If you wish to enroll sooner, you are free to call Direct Energy— the Program’s electric supplier — at 855-402-5868 and put in a request to enroll. You can also use our online opt-in/opt-out form. 

Enrollments take 1-2 billing cycles to take effect.  If you see “Billing for City of Boston CCE” on your Eversource bill, you are already part of the Program.

You have the option of blocking your electricity account from unauthorized switching to a third-party supplier from Basic Service. However, if you put a block on your account, you will not be automatically enrolled in the City’s BCCE Program. 

If you're already a customer of the BCCE Program and you put a block on your electricity account with Eversource, when the City selects a new supplier for BCCE you will be unenrolled.

Yes, you will continue to receive a single electricity bill from Eversource. Eversource will continue to deliver your electricity, manage your accounts, and respond to emergencies. The only difference is that the Program will be listed under the supplier section of your electricity bill. You will see written:

No. Blackouts and brownouts almost exclusively occur due to issues with grid infrastructure and weather events. Reliability is not tied to a customer’s electricity supplier. The Program will not affect the reliability of the electricity that you receive. Eversource will continue to ensure grid reliability.

If you are currently on a budget billing plan with Eversource, you will be able to stay on that plan under the BCCE program.

Yes. New Start eligibility is not dependent on a customer’s electric supplier. The forgiveness amount is applied to both the distribution and supply balances that are owed. Learn more about the New Start program.

Do you have solar panels on your home or business, or participate in a community solar program? You may currently benefit from net metering and on-bill credits. If you participate in the BCCE Program, you will continue to receive any credits to your account. Here’s how it works:

• When you generate electricity and export it to the grid, Eversource will compensate you for that electricity at their Basic Service rate. 
• When you draw electricity from the grid, you will be charged at the Program rate. This will appear on the supply portion of your Eversource bill. 

Please note: Any credits you have accumulated already are unaffected by the BCCE Program. You will continue to maintain those credits. 

The BCCE Program will not affect your participation with green power supply options.

Green power supply options allow for concurrent enrollment with Basic Service or competitive supply. This includes municipal aggregation programs like Boston Community Choice Electricity.