Community Choice Electricity
Community Choice Electricity (CCE) gives Bostonians greater control over the electricity that powers their homes and businesses.
Community Choice Electricity (CCE) is a municipal program that allows the City of Boston to buy electricity on behalf of Boston’s residents and businesses. By using the City's collective buying power, we are able to provide affordable and renewable electricity to the program’s customers. CCE ensures that energy decisions are made locally and reflect the values of Boston’s communities. It’s a vehicle for meeting our collective economic and environmental goals.
CCE is a municipal aggregation program. There are currently over 150 similar programs throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Boston’s is the largest one.
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How it works
Community Choice Electricity (CCE) gives you choice on the type of electricity that powers your home or business.
The City of Boston has the ability to create our own products. We provide options for more renewable energy, like the Green 100 option and the lower-cost Basic Option to help serve all customers.
CCE automatically enrolls Eversource Basic Service customers.
Basic Service customers are mailed a notification letter giving them the opportunity to opt-out of CCE or opt-in to more renewables. If one does not opt-out, they are placed on the program’s Standard product.
Continue to benefit from existing programs, plans, and assistance.
If you benefit from a program, plan, or some form of assistance, the CCE program will not affect those benefits.
CCE is flexible. You can opt-in or opt-out at any time with no contract or fees.
You can change your enrollment or renewable content by calling the program’s electric supplier — Constellation NewEnergy — at 833-930-3161, or by filling out our online form.
If you’ve signed an electric contract with a competitive supplier, you will not automatically be enrolled in CCE.
But you can still join CCE! Learn more on how to protect from the dangers of competitive electric suppliers, and your options moving forward.
Eversource continues to serve as your utility.
As a CCE customer, Eversource continues to handle electricity delivery. They also handle customer billing and service, grid maintenance, and power outages.
Program rates
We know one product does not meet the needs of all residents. We have created three products so you can choose the one that’s right for you. These rates are effective through November 30, 2021. Customers who are automatically enrolled in the program are placed on the Standard (default) product.
The graphic above displays the total renewable electricity that comes from the purchase of Massachusetts Class I Renewable Energy Certificates. Massachusetts law requires that all electric customers receive a mandatory minimum of 18% renewable electricity through the purchase of Massachusetts Class I Renewable Energy Certificates. Learn more about the renewable electricity provided to customers through the program.
The Standard (default) product is the program’s mid-tier product in terms of electric rate and renewable electricity. The optional Basic product costs less than the Standard product and provides customers with a lower level of renewable electricity. The Optional Green 100 product costs more than the Standard product and provides customers with 100% renewable electricity. Customers may opt-in to either of the two optional program products. You can do this by calling the program’s electric supplier — Constellation — or by completing the online form.
Eversource offers residents an electric supply option called Basic Service. The Community Choice Electricity program will strive to save customers money relative to Basic Service. However, savings cannot be guaranteed.
Compare the cost of the program's three products against one another, or compare these products against Eversource’s Basic Service rates, using our calculator:
Program principles
PrinciplesThe program has six principles (shown below) that guide the program. These principles were developed in coordination with a Working Group. This Working Group includes local experts and advocates, community leaders, and residents. They have met since December 2018 and have helped shape the design and implementation of the Community Choice Electricity Program.
We 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 Community Choice Electricity program helps Boston achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Carbon neutrality means that our community will only release as much carbon pollution as our environment can safely absorb.
The City of Boston’s Climate Action Plan is our five-year work plan for how we achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The Plan highlights strategies for Boston to accelerate emissions reductions from its buildings, transportation systems, and energy supply. The Community Choice Electricity is one of the primary tools for reducing emissions from our energy supply. Learn more about our strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
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The Team
The Team
