Boston Community Choice Electricity
Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) gives Bostonians greater control over the electricity that powers their homes, community spaces and small businesses.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT BOSTON’S COMMUNITY CHOICE ELECTRICITY (BCCE) PROGRAM
Due to a processing error, Boston customers who received a BCCE consumer notification letter dated December 20, 2024 and chose to opt-out by mailer had their opt out request delayed by two months. This means your April meter read will reflect the opt-out request as opposed to your February meter read. If your account was impacted, you will see a reimbursement credit on your Eversource bill by June at the latest. The reimbursement credit will be calculated by taking the difference between the BCCE Standard rate that you were enrolled into and the Eversource Basic Service rate and multiplying that by the account holder’s February-April usage. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The City’s contracted supplier, Direct Energy, is working with Eversource to ensure everyone affected is credited properly. For any questions or concerns, please call Direct Energy at (855) 402-5868.
enroll/opt-Out Of BCCE Sign up for A 15 minute meeting
- Filling out our online form.
- Calling Direct Energy, the Program’s electricity supplier, at 855-402-5868.
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Enroll:
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Additional Resources
If you're in need of additional assistance visit boston.gov/energy.
Program Rates
Current rates are valid December 2023 - December 2025.
With each plan, you are paying to add a percentage of MA Class I renewable energy into the grid. The rate of your plan corresponds to the amount of additional renewable energy you select.
The electricity supplier and rates are chosen through a competitive bidding process that leverages the buying power of our community. Although the program strives for affordable rates, savings cannot be guaranteed. Rates are locked in during the contract period and change when the City agrees to a new contract.
If you are not enrolled in BCCE and are a Eversource Basic customer, it might be due to a supply block on your account, a past decision to opt out, or a recently opened Eversource account. You can still join BCCE!
Eversource offers customers a supply option called Basic Service. BCCE strives to save you money relative to Basic Service. However, savings cannot be guaranteed as Eversource rates change every 6 months. Eversource's current residential rate of $0.13241/kWh is higher than BCCE Basic and Standard.
Compare the cost of the Program's three plans against one another, Basic Service, and third-party suppliers. Go green and help Boston get to carbon neutrality!
How it works
When you open a NEW Eversource account within the City of Boston, your electricity supplier is Eversource Basic Service. This means Eversource delivers and supplies your electricity.
On a quarterly basis, new Eversource accounts that have not already chosen an electric supplier and do not have a supplier block placed on the account are automatically enrolled into Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) after receiving the Consumer Notification Letter. Participation in the Program means that your electricity supply will be through BCCE, however Eversource will continue to deliver your electricity and manage your account.
On your bill you will see “Billing for the City of Boston CCE” as your electricity supplier. You can opt-out, opt-in, or change your plan at any time with no penalty with our online form.
New accounts on Basic Service without a supplier block are mailed a consumer notification letter with an opt-out card included. Customers who want to opt-out of the program should sign and mail the enclosed card, call Direct Energy, the City’s current electricity supplier, at (855) 402-5868, or fill out the opt-out form online. This means Eversource will continue to be your electricity supplier and you will pay their rate, which changes every six months.
It takes 1-2 billing cycles for your account to be enrolled in BCCE. Eversource can only switch your supplier on your meter read date.
SUPPLY BLOCK
If you have a supply block on our account, you will not be enrolled into BCCE. You can still join BCCE by removing the block!
1. Call Eversource (1-800-592-2000)
2. Ask to remove the supply block on your account
3. Wait 48 hours
4. Enroll by filling out our online form.
COMPETITVE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
1. Call your current electricity supplier.
2. Ask your electricity supplier about early termination fees and penalties. If there are no early termination fees, you can switch your electricity supplier no cost. You'll be switched to your new supplier at your next meter read.
2a. If there are early termination fees, ask them to waive any fees. They may or may not agree to it.
2b. If they say yes. You should get a confirmation number. Keep this for your records.
4. Enroll into BCCE using this form. Or call Direct Energy at 1-855-402-5868.
When will I be auto-enrolled?
If you are newly eligible, you will receive a consumer protection letter from BCCE. Your start month will be listed in the letter.
Your Eversource bill will list "Billing for City of Boston CCE" as the supplier. For a guide on how to find your electric supplier, click here.
Note: We do not have access to customer account details until Eversource provides them to us.
Learn more on how to protect your account from the dangers of competitive electric suppliers, and your options moving forward.
Will BCCE impact my current benefits?
No. BCCE does not affect any benefits you receive from existing programs, plans, or assistance. If you qualify for assistance, you are encouraged to apply—your supplier does not impact your eligibility.
For more information on Mass Save, HEAP, Shut-Off Protection, and other assistance programs, visit boston.gov/energy.
HOW TO READ YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL
Here are bill guides to help you understand your electricity bill:
SIMPLE BILL GUIDE IN-DEPTH BILL GUIDE
Your Eversource electricity bill is split into two parts: supply charge and delivery charge.
The supply side of your bill is your monthly electricity usage multiplied by the electricity supply charge per kilowatt-hour. Kilowatt-hour, or kWh, is how electricity suppliers measure a unit of electricity.
The delivery side of your bill is from Eversource as your utility company. They will continue to deliver your electricity and manage your account. They also maintain the power grid, wires, and poles and repair power outages.
Electricity suppliers have no control over the delivery charges on your bill.
The line 'Generation Service Charge' shows the total monthly kWh usage multiplied by your electricity rate. This is your supply charge.
You can find this information on the second page of your electricity bill.
Program principles
PrinciplesWe offer Boston residents a reliable, not-for-profit electricity option. Some residents have signed contracts with for-profit companies called competitive electric suppliers. Learn about the risks these contracts carry. The program offers residents an easy way to avoid these risks.
We intend to set low-cost electric rates that remain fixed over long periods of time. This helps residents plan their monthly household budgets.
The City of Boston is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We reduce carbon emissions through the electricity we purchase for customers.
We work to increase the amount of renewable energy on the regional grid. The program purchases renewable electricity for its customers to support new renewable energy projects.
When buying renewable electricity for the Program, we strive to stay local. Listed in order of preference, the program will prioritize renewable sources from:
- Boston
- Massachusetts
- Within New England Elsewhere
We recognize that pollution and climate change cause more harm to socially vulnerable communities. The program aims to deliver benefits and economic opportunities to these communities.
Working Toward Carbon Neutrality
The Boston Community Choice Electricity program helps the City achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Carbon neutrality means our community releases no more carbon pollution than our environment can safely absorb.
The City of Boston's path to carbon neutrality is laid out in the Climate Action Plan. This five-year workplan highlights strategies to drastically reduce emissions from buildings, transportation systems, and energy supply. The Boston Community Choice Electricity program is one of the primary tools for reducing emissions from our energy supply. Learn more about our strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
Opt-up to Optional Green 100, our 100% clean energy plan sourced from the New England area to help us get to carbon neutrality.
More on climate action
Who's Involved:
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Enroll:
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Additional Resources
If you're in need of additional assistance visit boston.gov/energy.
