Newport residents can expect to save on their electricity bills beginning later this spring as the City of Newport readies to launch its energy aggregation program in May of 2023.
The Program, dubbed Newport Community Electricity, was approved by the City Council in December of 2021 as part of an effort to provide new, competitively priced electricity supply options, including the use of more renewable energy.
Under the initial terms of the program, Newport Community Electricity will offer a standard electricity option that will cost less than the current Last Resort Service rate from Rhode Island Energy while using 5 percent more renewable energy than required by state law.
The Program will also offer three optional electricity options: a 100% renewable energy and 50% renewable energy options for those looking to have a significant climate impact, and an option with only the minimum amount of renewable energy required by state law for those seeking the lowest cost.
The electricity rates will be fixed over an initial six-month period from May 2023 through November 2023.
All of the Program’s additional renewable energy will come from sources that qualify as Rhode Island New, and the Program will support a number of local Rhode Island projects, including sourcing power from wind turbines in Coventry and Providence and solar built on brownfields in Johnston, North Providence, and West Greenwich.
All Newport residential and business electricity customers using Rhode Island Energy’s Last Resort Service electricity option are eligible for automatic enrollment in the Program’s standard electricity option as of their May 2023 meter read date. In the beginning of March 2023, all eligible customers will receive a Notification Letter on behalf of the City from the chosen electricity supplier for the Program, NextEra Energy Services.
The letter will notify them of the upcoming enrollment and provide instructions on how to choose a different Program option other that the standard or how to opt out of Program and not participate. Anyone that does not want to participate in Newport Community Electricity may opt out without penalty, either before the Program begins or at any time during the Program.
The table below shows the prices for Residential customers. Prices for Commercial and Industrial customers can be found on the Program website:
Electricity customers who are currently enrolled with a third-party supplier will not receive the Notification Letter and will not be automatically enrolled. These customers can voluntarily join the Program, but are advised to check with their current supplier in case it may charge penalties or early termination fees if they leave that supplier during the term of their contract.
The City is part of a group of seven municipalities leading the way in Rhode Island to launch the state’s first municipal aggregation programs: Barrington, Central Falls, Narragansett, Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, South Kingstown. Each community is launching their own distinct program in May 2023, but combined their buying power to procure a common electricity supplier, Next Era Energy Services.
For more information about Newport Community Electricity, please visit the program website at NewportCommunityElectricity.com or call the program’s supplier, NextEra Energy Service, at (877) 323-3049.
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