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energy prices

Heating aid forum brings funding to nonprofits

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FITCHBURG — Home heating assistance programs seek to ensure that no one’s home goes cold but, in order to provide that assistance, they need help. That’s why a forum is held each year to attract local nonprofit agencies so they can learn about the newest initiatives on all levels of policy.

Unitil and United Way of North Central Massachusetts in partnership with Making Opportunity Count (MOC)  will host the energy assistance forum for area nonprofits on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Great Wolf Lodge.

Currently in the 23rd year of the annual forum, local, state and federal heating assistance and energy efficiency initiatives are reviewed for staff members of nonprofit agencies, who then educate their clients on these programs

In addition, there will be a presentation on how utilities plan to upgrade the electrical infrastructure to meet the future energy demand for electric vehicles and heating systems.

“This annual forum has been tremendously helpful over the years in getting the word out that there is both financial and technical help available for the winter heating season,” said Unitil External Affairs Manager Alec O’Meara. “Additionally, we look forward to sharing with local agencies the steps we intend to take to ensure energy needs continue to be met equitably as usage of electric service evolves in the years ahead.”

Nonprofit agencies are being asked to RSVP by Oct. 25 to Lisa Normandin, at lisa@uwncm.org, who is with the United Way of North Central Massachusetts. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 at the Great Wolf Lodge, 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg.

The United Way of North Central Massachusetts serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Pepperell, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.

Unitil provides electric service to Ashby, Fitchburg, Lunenburg and Townsend, and natural gas service to those communities, as well as Gardner and Westminster.

Pepperell to submit electric aggregation plan for state approval

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PEPPERELL — As costs have soared in every sector, municipalities across Massachusetts have increasingly turned to electric aggregation as a means to provide residents with some sort of financial relief.

Now, Pepperell would appear poised to do the same.

In the relatively near future, local leaders hope to save residents money each month through Pepperell Community Electricity, a program meant to leverage the town’s purchasing power to negotiate competitive energy rates compared to the basic service rate available through National Grid.

Town leaders and the Climate Change Committee are set to host a virtual information session and provide a plan overview at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, while public comment on the program is invited and encouraged through Saturday, April 29, after which the plan will be submitted to the state for final approval.

Town Administrator Andrew MacLean, who said the program was recommended in the town’s Master Plan and was voted through favorably last May, stressed PCE’s ability to provide further stability for ratepayers as continued inflation has left many residents under significant financial pressure.

“[PCE] should prove beneficial to each and every resident,” MacLean said. “The individual can’t necessarily negotiate a super competitive rate but, as a collective, the town can sort of play in that sphere and help drive energy costs down.”

“We want to do everything we can to make life a bit easier for the people of Pepperell — [PCE] is certainly a step in that direction,” he said.

PCE would not replace National Grid as the town’s electric utility — rather, it would provide residents with options as far as where their power is sourced from. National Grid would continue to deliver that power, but a separate and competitive supply rate, negotiated by the town with an outside energy company, would be reflected in residents’ energy bills.

A “three-tiered” program, MacLean said environmentally conscious residents would also be afforded the opportunity to utilize “greener” energy — energy sourced from wind, hydroelectric, nuclear, etc. — albeit at a greater cost and that PCE is “directly aligned” with community values in regard to climate change and to reduce carbon emissions.

“(Pepperell), broadly, is in favor of these type of things,” MacLean said. “We’re a green community, we have a Climate Change Committee, we’re part of our regional climate change group — it’s one of our core community values and PCE plays right into that.”

“Everybody wants to save money, right? And I certainly don’t know anybody that brags about how much they pollute. Presumably, you’re going to have greener electricity at a lower price — it’s a lot to be happy about,” he said.

In advance of April 11, MacLean touched on the importance of communication between town leaders and residents in order to ensure that everyone was “on the same page” and said there was “no such thing as too much communication.” He also urged those that may be unable to attend to reach out to those leaders with any questions.

“We can never communicate enough,” MacLean said. “Every second of every day, someone is going to say ‘I didn’t hear about this,’ — all we can do is give out good, clear, consistent and frequent communication and be patient with people.”

“We hope that citizens come out with questions for us — show up and we’ll provide the information they need. And, if you can’t make it, don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re here to help,” he said.

As for when residents might start to see savings, MacLean was unsure due to the state’s inconsistent approval process. “Last time I looked into it, several communities had complained about the length of time it had taken,” he said, with some plans taking a year or longer to be reviewed.

“That’s what we’ve been told and nobody seems to know why,” MacLean said. “We’re not reinventing the wheel here, we’re giving back their sort of boilerplate proposal and showing how we’re meeting people’s needs with the program.”

“So, for now, I think our approach is going to be this is a year away and, then, we’ll try to be one of those squeaky wheels to see if we can get this moved along faster,” he said.

MacLean urged those interested in PCE to visit PepperellCommunityElectricity.com or contact the town’s program consultants at 844-202-6299. For more information, residents can also visit the town’s website, town.pepperell.ma.us/838/Pepperell-Community-Electricity.

Fitchburg set to launch Community Electric Aggregation program in March

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FITCHBURG — As energy costs continue to rise, financial relief could come to the city this March by way of the recently announced electric aggregation program.

Fitchburg Community Electric Aggregation will afford city residents and businesses electric utility options and could leave many with extra cash each month. Partnered with the Baltimore, Maryland-based Constellation Energy Corporation, the city can now provide competitively priced rates and greater options for renewable energy compared to the local utility, Unitil Corporation.

Mayor Stephen DiNatale said the city was “hypersensitive” to the increased costs of utilities and that the CEA, a project “years in the making,” was an obvious avenue to both bring those costs down and relieve residents’ financial pressures.

“We’re doing our best and will continue to do our best to bring costs down across the board,” DiNatale said. “Energy costs right now are crazy — the cost of everything is incredibly high — so, through [the CEA], we’re trying to rein that in a bit and make life just a little bit easier for Fitchburg ratepayers.”

“Rest assured that we’re doing everything we can to make it easier on our residents and give them some sense of control when, before, they didn’t have a lot of options,” he said.

Once launched, residents will have the choice of a new standard rate as well as two optional rates that are increasingly sourced from renewable energies in addition to whatever options may be available to them through Unitil.

Each rate offered through the program is locked in for a 21-month period, after which the city can negotiate a new rate, leveraging the purchasing power of the entire municipality, with an electric company of its choosing.

The “Fitchburg Standard,” “Fitchburg 5” and “Fitchburg Plus” rates, which are set through December 2024, each prove cost-effective compared to Unitil’s current 21.429 cents per kilowatt-hour basic service rate at 17.268, 17.467 and 19.048 cents per kWh, respectively.

Ratepayers served by Unitil are automatically enrolled in the program under the “Fitchburg Standard” rate and would continue to be serviced and billed by Unitil each month, while said bill would reflect the reduced rate negotiated through the CEA. Residents that wish to withdraw from the program can do so at any time without penalty, while those that are served by a third-party utility are not automatically enrolled.

While potential savings may prove “modest” for most, DiNatale stressed that “every bit can help.” He also emphasized the fact that savings, despite those reduced rates, could not necessarily be “guaranteed” due to Unitil’s ability to alter distribution charges.

When asked about the “Fitchburg 5” and “Fitchburg Plus” options, DiNatale made it clear that the city was highly supportive of renewable, “green” energy and hoped that at least some residents would feel the same now that they have environmentally-conscious options.

“We’ve done what we can to take advantage of renewables in projects around the city,” DiNatale said. “We, as the city, are always interested in measures that can sort of decrease our impact on the environment, lessen our carbon footprint and, now, we’re giving residents the option to sort of do that as well.”

The city is set to host a second information session at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at City Hall, 718 Main St. The first one was held on Wednesday, Feb. 1. For more information on the CEA, visit fitchburgcea.com.

Fitchburg launches energy, heating assistance fund to help residents

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FITCHBURG — While temperatures have been warmer than expected this winter, Mayor Stephen DiNatale has not hesitated to help residents heat their homes.

Amidst crushing inflation and rising energy costs, DiNatale and Administrative Aide Joan David have established the Mayor’s Energy Fund to ease the financial burden for residents. The mayor said it was important to set up the financial safety net for residents given the often unpredictable nature of New England weather and in the event of unforeseen emergencies.

“This program was born out of the anticipated, extraordinarily significant increases in energy costs to heat people’s home’s this winter,” DiNatale said. “Knock on wood, the winter has been relatively mild, but it’s good to have this as a base because you just never know what might happen, weather or otherwise.”

“Heating and energy costs, even without it being exceptionally cold, are extraordinarily high. So, however much or little it might do, we’re doing this to help out the citizens of Fitchburg,” he said.

Eligibility for the program, which could contribute as much as $400 to a resident’s oil, gas or electric heating costs, is determined by income and other federal Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines, according to David. Those that are interested can apply through an application that is available outside of DiNatale’s office at City Hall.

Through the application, residents provide the amount of their latest bill, whether through Unitil Corporation or another utility provider, as well as information on their income and a means to verify that income, such as a paystub or W-2 form. If approved, City Hall would send a check directly to the utility company to be disbursed to the applicant’s account within a two-week period.

David said a potential online application would be “something we could discuss in the future.”

DiNatale said work on the fund began late in 2022 ahead of what was projected to be a particularly harsh winter. He and David took inspiration from a similar program in Leominster and collaborated with local social service agencies such as United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Making Opportunity Count and others to build something that could “work for as many people as possible.”

Both thanked those local organizations for their aid and their “continued commitment” to Fitchburg residents.

“I reached out to some nonprofits in the community, United Way [of North Central Massachusetts], MOC, and said let’s get together and strategize on how best to meet what could be a significant problem for a lot of people,” he said. “We couldn’t be more thankful to them and what they’ve provided and continue to provide to us and the community.”

As of now, the program is funded solely by a $5,000 donation made by IC Federal Credit Union last December, a donation that was approved for use by City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 17. In the future, DiNatale and David said the fund would consist mostly of “public and private donations” from other local institutions, but that the city would also look for other opportunities to fundraise.

David also said the city applied for a HUD Community Development Block Grant but, if awarded, such funds would be unavailable until next winter.

Both DiNatalie and David stressed the importance of such a fund as many struggle to keep up, financially. David said even minimal financial relief could make a huge difference for some families, while DiNatale said the city would “do our best” to help those in need and urged residents to come his office and apply.

“It might not seem like a lot, but I think this fund could do a lot of good,” David said. “If we can help even just a little, pick up at least part of someone’s bill so they have a bit extra to spend on groceries or whatever else they might need, it could mean a world of difference for a lot of people.”

“We work for the people of Fitchburg, we’re here to help them however we can,” DiNatalie said. “So please, reach out, come to City Hall and, if we can, we’ll certainly do our best to help.”

Community Electric Aggregation Program still active in Shirley

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SHIRLEY — The Electric Aggregation Program the town signed up for several years ago remains in effect, Town Administrator Mike McGovern told the Select Board last week. And residents who didn’t opt out then are still in it now.

That is, if they were National Grid customers and hadn’t already switched to another service provider.

A letter sent to every business and household in town that was on National Grid’s customer list at the time explained that, going forward, Dynergy would be their new energy provider, per a contract with the town. The switch was automatic, but they could opt out. Those who wanted to stick with National Grid could do so by returning a form included with the letter. Otherwise, no response was required.

If there’s confusion about the program now, that seamless transition could help explain it.

Some residents may not know whether they are part of the program or not. The answer to that question is that if you didn’t opt out, you’re in. Unless you signed on with another provider. To confirm, those in the program will see ”Dynergy” listed as supplier, on page 2 of their electric bills, McGovern said.

But the arrangement isn’t set in stone, one way or the other.

“The best thing to do,” is to visit the town website and click on the link to “Dynergy,” McGovern said. There you will find a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the program, including how it works, what it means to be part of it and how to get in, or out.

The notification letter that spelled out the details in the first place, for example, why was it sent?

It was the result of a contract the town signed with Dynergy, a competitive supplier, on behalf of the Community Electric Aggregation Program, only those on National Grid’s customer list received the letter. Those listed with another competitive supplier did not.

When the town decided to go all in for the aggregation plan, a consultant was hired to find a supplier and broker a deal. As explained at a town meeting when the plan was proposed, the goal was to offer residents a money-saving alternative to National Grid.

The consultant said his job was to seek out the best deal, spreading a country-wide net and marketing Shirley’s pool of National Grid customers as a group to “competitive suppliers” that offered better electric rates in return, lower than National Grid’s rates, which tend to rise and fall seasonally.

The agreed-upon, “aggregate” rate would be locked in for a specified period, per the contract.

The Dynergy contract expires in March, McGovern said.

Then what? The town will either re-up with Dynergy or find another company for a similar deal. Either way, residents currently in the program who want to stay on board don’t have to do anything, he said.

Sunday Notebook: Royal climate intervention

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What do you think Maura Healey and Prince William talked about when they sat courtside for the Boston Celtics game Wednesday night?

“So you’re next in line for the throne — er, corner office — too, right?” the prince and next-in-line to the British royal crown could have asked the governor-elect.

“Sure am, and I even know exactly when I’ll ascend to the top job. Are you free Thursday, Jan. 5 at noon?” Healey might have responded.

If you are just emerging from the rock you’ve been living under for a week or so, William and his wife Kate, the prince and princess of Wales, spent the latter half of this week in and around Boston. The centerpiece of their visit was Friday’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, an international environmental award.

Speaking to a rain-soaked crowd outside Boston City Hall, William said Boston was an “obvious choice” to host this year’s climate award because of the region’s universities, research institutes, and innovative start-up culture. It may have also been a comfortable choice for the royals to come to the Bay State since, as one top Baker administration official put it in September, “[T]his winter, Massachusetts is more like Europe than we are from other states.”

Brace for heating bill impact

Just like Europeans across the pond, residents of Massachusetts are bracing for budget-busting electric bills and sky-high heating costs this winter. Part of the issue for Massachusetts is the state’s relative overreliance on natural gas and liquid natural gas, commodities that are sold on the global market and sensitive to things like the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

And a report released this week made clear that meeting the carbon emissions reduction commitments the state has made is going to require a “dramatic and rapid transition, well beyond anything experienced in the sector to date.”

Seventy-five percent of the furnaces and other heating equipment sold in Massachusetts run on fossil fuels while the remaining 25% utilize electricity. By the end of this decade, those numbers will need to flip and electric heating equipment needs to account for nearly 95% of sales by 2035, the state’s Commission on Clean Heat concluded. Property owners will face tough, and costly choices.

“[A]chieving this reduction will require an additional 500,000 residential homes and roughly 300 million square feet of commercial buildings to utilize energy-efficient electric heating by 2030. In the residential sector, this is estimated to require an average of 20,000-25,000 [electric heat pump] installations a year ahead of 2025, ramping up to 80,000 a year in the latter half of the decade, and over 100,000 per year thereafter. More than 200,000 existing residences will need to undergo building shell upgrades from 2020-2030, scaling up to an additional 1.3 million residences from 2030-2050,” the commission wrote in its report.

But the commission could not reach a firm decision around whether the state should prescribe a timeline for phasing out new fossil fuel heating equipment. They decided instead to direct the executive branch to study the idea and its potential effects on the economy some more.

William might be king by the time Massachusetts sees a lot of its climate and environmental policies start to make a noticeable difference. Of the four offshore wind projects that the state is banking on, only one is expected to actually generate power before 2028. Plans to get hydroelectric power from Canada have been stymied at almost every turn, and the state is woefully behind when it comes to the number of cleaner electric vehicles on its roads.

Some residents of another former British colony, Connecticut, can expect a $10 credit on their Eversource bills from January through April thanks to a program made possible in part by the state’s commitment to the future of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station outside of New London. The last nuclear plant in Massachusetts, Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, went out of service in 2019, and now a fight over how plant owner Holtec International will get rid of radioactive waste water there is escalating.

Holtec has floated the idea of getting rid of any water left over from plant operations by treating it and then pumping it into Cape Cod Bay, but that caught immediate opposition from lawmakers and environmentalists. This week, the company said that no decision about the disposal of the roughly 1 million gallons of water has been settled upon and that the water is expected to remain in use through at least the first three months of 2023.

But it also said it is going to seek the necessary permits or amendments to keep the dump-it-into-the-bay option on the table.

Katherine Clark is the deputy WHIP

Prince William was not the only person in Massachusetts this week who recently moved up a little closer to the seat of power. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark of Revere locked up a new role as the whip for U.S. House Democrats on Wednesday, elevating her to the number-two role in her caucus amid a generational shakeup of the party’s leaders.

But as Clark moves up on the Democrats’ leadership ladder, the party is sliding back into the minority in the U.S. House of Representatives — sort of a one step forward, two steps back deal for Clark. Other Bay State Dems who have enjoyed powerful or lofty perches under Speaker Nancy Pelosi, like Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern of Worcester or House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal of Springfield, will have to re-acclimate themselves to being ranking minority members now.

LOOSE ENDS: The state pension fund, which handles the retirement funds of state employees, teachers and many municipal employees in Massachusetts, recently took a loss as a result of a “miniscule and non-material exposure” to the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Officials at MassPRIM said the loss was small and not something that would affect the overall performance of the $88.6 billion Pension Reserves Investment Trust Fund. … Gov. Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Healey got together Tuesday to take stock of the opioid crisis and how the situation has changed during Baker’s eight years in office. In 2015, the year Baker took office, there were 1,747 opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts. In 2021, after fentanyl became widespread, there were 2,290 confirmed or suspected opioid deaths. … With the state’s new surtax on annual income above $1 million set to take effect for 2023, unions and educators made clear this week that they expect Healey, the House and Senate to devote a good chunk of surtax revenues to public higher education.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “We know what happens at the State House — most things go there to die,” Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia said this week, referring to the home rule petition system.

SONG OF THE WEEK: As each is in something of a transition period, Maura Healey and Prince William could have spent some time this week working on their roars.