The new Acton Power Choice (APC) contract is now in effect, bringing with it prices that are lower — for all three options — than those in the last contract period. APC participants will realize these new, lower prices automatically, and see them reflected in February Eversource bills. These new rates went into effect in late December 2023, and will remain the same through December of 2026. The APC program began in 2017 after approval by Town Meeting; the coming contract marks the program’s seventh year.
With the new contract period (December 2023–Dec. 2026), most APC customers (who are in Standard) now get significantly more renewable electricity in their supply. The power of APC to reduce Acton’s greenhouse gas emissions — through the emissions savings of the GREEN option (100% renewable), Standard (69% renewable), and Basic (24% renewable) — is significant and is brought home by this fact: from the start of the APC program in 2017 through December 2023, the program has avoided 47,199,725 pounds of CO2 entering the atmosphere! That is more than the emissions from gas-powered passenger cars driving nearly 55 million miles or from 24 million pounds of coal burned! The program really helps advance Acton’s climate goals, as set out in the Town’s Climate Action Plan. (See more info via the Climate Action Tracker.)
New Prices, More Renewables
The icons below show the three APC options available, the percent of renewably generated electricity with each one, and the current per-kilowatt-hour rate for each. Although the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) requires the Town to note that “future savings with APC are not guaranteed,” historically, APC prices have been quite favorable compared with those in the general energy marketplace.
What Is Acton Power Choice?
Acton Power Choice is Acton’s Town-administered, bulk electricity purchasing program (enabled by the Massachusetts Legislature); such programs are known generically as “Community Choice Aggregation” programs. APC is one of the Town’s multiple strategies deployed to help provide stable energy prices for, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with, Acton’s energy use. APC creates options for electricity sourcing, allowing people to choose how much renewable energy they want in their electricity supply.
Acton Power Choice customers have three options to choose from:
- GREEN — this offers 100% renewably generated electricity from regional sources
- Standard — this is the “auto-enrollment”/default offering into which customers are subscribed initially; in the coming contract period, Standard provides 69% renewable electricity — 45% more than the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) amount required by Massachusetts law
- Basic — this mimics the RPS required of every electricity supplier, including Eversource, which in 2024 is 24%. (In 2025, the RPS requirement will rise to 27%.)
Am I Enrolled in APC, and in Which Option?
Most households and many businesses in Acton are enrolled in Acton Power Choice for their electricity supply. (Note that APC impacts only the supply portion of participants’ Eversource electricity bills; Eversource’s delivery charges are the same regardless of electricity supplier.) The easiest way to find out if (or confirm that) you are enrolled in APC, and in which option, is by looking at a recent Eversource bill. This Acton Power Choice website page is a great guide to “interpreting” the Eversource bill; see the January 2024 through January 2027 section. Below are images of the front and back of a (fake) bill with the important information highlighted (note that all charges are “invented”/not real).
How Does APC Work?
The electricity aggregator (supplier) for the 2023–2026 contract is First Point Power (based in Rhode Island). Although the electricity supply for APC comes via the contracted supplier, Eversource will continue to generate monthly bills, manage electricity infrastructure, and be responsible for problems (e.g., power outages). The schematic below explains the basics; the APC program is explained in great detail at ActonPowerChoice.com.
Additional Ways to Save
The new, lower APC pricing is a welcome change from the volatile energy market pricing of the past year.-plus There are others ways to reduce electricity costs:
• MassSave can help with low-cost ways of reducing your electricity use. You can schedule a FREE MassSave home energy audit here; this is available every two years, and will offer up-to-date recommendations, including appliance changes, lighting changes, or energy-loss reduction techniques, such as improved insulation and/or air sealing. Bonus: many of these opportunities come with substantial subsidies from MassSave! Learn more.
• See if you qualify for Eversource’s discounted electricity rate; the state mandates that electric utilities provide discounted rates to customers who receive any of a long list of income-tested financial benefits — including MassHealth, SSI, Head Start, subsidized school meals, or any of a number of Veterans’ support programs. Learn more.
• Conserving electricity as much as possible is another way to limit costs. Everyone’s mom or dad was right — turn off lights when they’re not necessary! Also, use energy-efficient appliances, and put electronics and small appliances on a strip/bar that can be turned off at day’s end to avoid “ghost/phantom” electricity use. (See more on that last here.)
• Say “yes” to solar! Consider whether a solar installation is right for your home or building. Adding solar panels to generate some or all of the electricity you use can be cost saving over the medium and longer term. (Note that you can have on-site solar AND participate in APC for the balance of electricity use not covered by your solar production.) There are excellent federal and state incentives available; learn more at Energy Sage, and/or consult Acton’s FREE Clean Energy Coaching program for guidance.
APC and the Big Picture — 10% GREEN in 2024!
APC is a quick and easy first step in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions impacts of your home and life! We hope that each household or business owner will, in making decisions about their APC options, appreciate and consider the “big picture” — both the importance to our shared future of reducing emissions rapidly, and that Acton is taking big steps forward in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are the primary cause of global climate change. APC is a critical part of that effort, which means that each household and business in APC — and especially in APC GREEN — is an important player in achieving climate goals. Subscribers to GREEN currently constitute a bit more than 5% of all APC accounts; when you opt up to GREEN, you help Acton reach this year’s APC goal of 10% GREEN in 2024!
Thank you for doing your part! If you have questions about any of this, please contact us at info@GreenActon.org or Acton’s Sustainability Office at Sustainability@Actonma.gov.