National Grid Electricity Rates About to Jump Way Up (Cambridge: how much, attorney)

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by Louisville Slugger

I am locked in at a supply rate of 9.709 ¢/KWH through the November 2023 meter read. We'll see what the new contract is after that. I would love to live in a town with a municipal electric company, but the community-focused electricity aggregation will have to do.

I am getting my third minisplit installed next month which will allow me to shut off my last remaining electric resistance baseboards.

That is an outstanding rate! To be honest I never really paid much attention before, I just paid the bills. Because this is the regular winter high *plus* several exacerbating factors, it's not really a great time to change to a long term rate right now, but I think I can still do better than National Grid's basic service supplier rates anyway.

We will have the municipal aggregation, probably at ~ $0.22/kWh - with no fees or penalties to join or leave, so no commitments. That would have been a lot cheaper if they locked in the rate earlier, but the city and Colonial are just getting there act together now. I also see Inspire Clean Energy is offering me a flat rate of $99/mo for 3 months (supplier portion only), which will still yield significantly cheaper bills than I paid last winter.

[Louisville Slugger]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

That is an outstanding rate! To be honest I never really paid much attention before, I just paid the bills. Because this is the regular winter high *plus* several exacerbating factors, it's not really a great time to change to a long term rate right now, but I think I can still do better than National Grid's basic service supplier rates anyway.

We will have the municipal aggregation, probably at ~ $0.22/kWh - with no fees or penalties to join or leave, so no commitments. That would have been a lot cheaper if they locked in the rate earlier, but the city and Colonial are just getting there act together now. I also see Inspire Clean Energy is offering me a flat rate of $99/mo for 3 months (supplier portion only), which will still yield significantly cheaper bills than I paid last winter.

My condo is entirely electric.

I would love to get solar, but since I live in a condo it's a little tricky. Also I don't know if we get enough sun on the building anyways.

I track all my electricity usage via a spreadsheet. The delivery rate has pretty much doubled in the last ten years. I lock in my supply rate, but they get you somewhere else. I have reduced my annual electricity usage by almost 27% in the last 9 years.

The year I moved in I used 11,538 kWh at $1,973. This past year 8,440 kWh at $2,065.

I think this winter I am going to set my minisplits at a certain temperature and leave them alone unless I am going on vacation for a week. These units like to run consistently. Last winter I would lower them a lot over night so there would be a big swing in the morning. I bet I save some more money by leaving them at a consistent temperature.

[simplexsimon]

What does buying/leasing solar look like these days?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

Okay, I meant this to actually be a pragmatic, helpful, informative thread about the rates going up and what people here can do. Can we table the ideological discussion - both pro and con, re conspiracy theories? There is always Politics & Other Controversies if people want to go on about those. I'd prefer to just avoid them here - it never goes anywhere and just sucks the life force out of me.

Sorry but the consequences of who we vote for and impact our politicians have on this stuff, is unavoidable when having an honest discussion about this topic. All 49 states are not facing these same kind of increases or existing rates. It's clearly an issue nationwide and worldwide as well, but there is little question that it's particularly acute in MA and that it's due to negligence of our "leaders" in addressing our power grid needs present and future. One can scapegoat National Grid all they want, but if you really want to have any meaningful impact some responsibility must be taken at the voting booth.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Sorry but the consequences of who we vote for and impact our politicians have on this stuff, is unavoidable when having an honest discussion about this topic. All 49 states are not facing these same kind of increases or existing rates. It's clearly an issue nationwide and worldwide as well, but there is little question that it's particularly acute in MA and that it's due to negligence of our "leaders" in addressing our power grid needs present and future. One can scapegoat National Grid all they want, but if you really want to have any meaningful impact some responsibility must be taken at the voting booth.

Our pols have nothing but your best interests in mind. Come on, man!


BTW, the economy is strong as hell, and everything else is Putin's fault. There are plenty of studies proving that. Does anybody have any ice cream?

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

What does buying/leasing solar look like these days?

My quotes were all around 40k+ for a 10kwh system, no battery. Ridiculous even with the tax incentives. Although my electric bill has jumped from $120-150/mo to $250-360/mo this year. I still can't justify spending that much on panels.

[Remy11]

Outdoor Lover,
Do we have to do anything here in NBPT or will we be automatically signed up of the aggregate program? (We're with National Grid already). Sorry, I was skimming through the posts because I'm supposed to be working at the moment. Can you let me know when you have a sec? TY!

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by Remy11

Outdoor Lover,
Do we have to do anything here in NBPT or will we be automatically signed up of the aggregate program? (We're with National Grid already). Sorry, I was skimming through the posts because I'm supposed to be working at the moment. Can you let me know when you have a sec? TY!

You should be able to see something on your bill showing who the supplier is. If you go to this website they show a sample bill and what you should look for. Colonial Power seems to be the supplier for the municipal program there.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by Remy11

Outdoor Lover,
Do we have to do anything here in NBPT or will we be automatically signed up of the aggregate program? (We're with National Grid already). Sorry, I was skimming through the posts because I'm supposed to be working at the moment. Can you let me know when you have a sec? TY!

Hi Remy11 - yes, if you do nothing, and you currently have "Basic Service" as your supplier on your National Grid bill, then my understanding is that you'll automatically be enrolled in the Newburyport municipal aggregation program in December, and I understand that a mailing from the city is still forthcoming on it, allowing such people (which includes me) to opt out of municipal aggregation.

Here's the Oct 19 Newburyport Town Hall recorded meeting, on the Port Media YouTube channel, if you want all the gory details (Warning, there is the requisite citizen whining mixed in ;-)). I didn't know anything really before I watched this, and found this info very helpful.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BsuGeybvMM

[Remy11]

Outdoor Lover,
Thanks so much for posting the YouTube clip. I’m going to watch now. It’s such a predicament we’re in. My brother’s friend signed up for a third party company a few years back and went through hell with them. They offered great deals for the first few months (which is how they suck you in) and then boom—the rates quadrupled out of nowhere, but he was stuck in a contract at that point.

Did you discover any for us that seem legit? Feel free to DM me as well!

Thanks again!