In July, 2024, the DPU issued an order adopting uniform guidelines to approve future municipal aggregation plans. The order comes less than a year after the DPU opened its investigation to establish new guidelines for plans and to streamline the application process. Throughout this proceeding, the DPU was able to remove a backlog of pending applications and allow more cities and towns across Massachusetts to provide their residents with flexibility when choosing an electricity provider.  “With these new guidelines, more Massachusetts cities and towns can move forward expeditiously to provide clean energy at competitive prices,” said Chair James Van Nostrand. “The approval of the new guidelines demonstrates the collaborative effort undertaken to pave the way for innovation and accelerating the path towards greater emissions reductions in Massachusetts.”

In June, 2024, the Department of Public Utilities issued a new order providing equitable access to solar energy and affordability to low-income and environmental justice populations. The order updates the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target Program (SMART) to bolster the state’s ability to reach its 2030 and 2050 Clean Energy and Climate Plan Goals, and increases access to SMART for low-income and environmental justice populations through new community solar programs. The DPU’s new order comes after the Healey-Driscoll Administration was awarded $156 million for Massachusetts Solar for All program, which will deploy 125 megawatts of solar capacity and provide a 20 percent reduction in energy costs to more than 31,000 low-income and disadvantaged households. 

In April, 2024, the state senate passed S.2738 which would ban individual residential electric choice. "Beginning on January 1, 2025, no supplier, energy marketer or energy broker shall execute a new contract or renew an existing contract for generation services with any individual residential retail customer. This section shall not apply to, or otherwise affect, any government body that aggregates the load of residential retail customers as part of a municipal load aggregation program pursuant to section 134." The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) is opposed to the bill and is backing a proposed House bill which would allow suppliers that serve individual residents to continue, but with stricter rules on marketing, sales and enrollment processes.

Published in March, 2023, a study by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Sustainable Policy Lab finds community choice energy aggregation programs have reduced costs, increased sustainability. Most notable study results include 80% of municipalities with CCA programs achieved reduced rates; 89% of municipalities with contracts exceeding state renewable energy level requirements achieved savings of approximately $33,500,000 per year. Access to the full study can be found HERE.

A bill introduced in early 2023 sponsored by Senator Crighton and Representative Moran: SD648 / HD3214,  An Act relative to electric ratepayer protections would ban third party power suppliers from signing up new individual residential customers in Massachusetts. According to a report out in May, 2023 authored by Attorney General, Andrea Campbell, shows that over a six year period, (from July 2015 to June 2021), consumers paid $525 million more than if they had received supply from their utility, and that the approximately 430,000 residential customers who are enrolled with third party suppliers lose an average of $231 per year. Evidence also shows low-income customers and people of color are more likely to be pulled in to these programs than the overall population.

Rising electricity prices due to several factors are affecting Massachusetts residents and businesses, much the same as everyone across the country. For those communities that have Community Choice Energy programs with energy contracts extending into late 2023 and early 2024, they will be protected by the rise in winter rates from the state's IOUs. For example, Medford's program will be about half the price of National Grid's winter price, which went into effect on November 1, 2022. See article HERE. 

"MA Class I RECS" is the State of Massachusetts’ term for new, local renewable energy. The renewable energy can come from wind, solar, landfill gas, low impact hydroelectric and anaerobic digestion, other biomass and marine. Additionally, it must have started operation after 1997 and be located within New England, New York or Eastern Canada.

Boston's long-awaited CCE program launched in February, 2021, and residents are automatically enrolled unless they opt out. Constellation New Energy offers three rates for consumers: Optional Basic, Standard and Optional Green 100, ranging from $0.10959 to $0.14764 per kilowatt-hour. These rates also vary in what sources are used to supply that energy, with the Green 100 option entirely supplied by renewable resources.