Municipal Energy Aggregation Plan Public Comment Period Open

Background:

At the October 24, 2022 Special Fall Town Meeting, the Town of West Newbury voted to grant the Select Board authority to research, develop, and participate in a contract or contracts to aggregate the electricity load of the residents and businesses in the Town and for other related services, independently, or in joint action with other municipalities, retaining the right of individual residents and businesses to opt‐out of the aggregation. Attached to this posting is the full text of the plan. The Select Board is seeking public comment on the Aggregation Plan.

Public Review and Comment Period:

The Town of West Newbury’s Aggregation Plan is available for public review and comment from Monday, July 17, 2023, at 9 a.m. through Friday, August 18, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

The Select Board will meet on Monday, August 21st at 7pm to review the proposed Aggregation Plan, including all comments received prior to that time or at the public meeting.

Any person who desires to comment may do so in person at the Town Clerk’s office or submit written comments using one of the following methods: (1) by e-mail to townmanager@wnewbury.org; or (2) by postal mail to the address below.

Comments must be clearly marked Town of West Newbury’s Aggregation Plan and must be received (not postmarked) by the end of the comment period in order to be addressed.

Angus Jennings

Town Manager

Town of West Newbury

381 Main Street

West Newbury, MA 01985

Any questions pertaining to this should be directed to Angus Jennings, Town Manager at (978) 363-1100 ext. 115.

The Town  developed the Aggregation Plan in compliance with state law regarding public aggregation of electric consumers. It contains required information on the structure, operations, services, funding, and policies of the Town’s Plan. The Plan has been developed in consultation with the Town’s municipal aggregation consultant, Colonial Power Group, Inc. (CPG) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Basic Service rates change twice a year or more, depending on rate class. As a result, the aggregation rate may not always be lower than the Basic Service rate. The goal of the aggregation is to deliver savings over the life of the Program against National Grid Basic Service. However, such savings and future savings cannot be guaranteed.

Please see the link below for more information on this project:

https://www.wnewbury.org/home/town-projects/pages/municipal-energy-aggregation-plan