Community Choice Aggregation Plan for the City of Fitchburg

Fitchburg Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) is an electricity supply program in development by the City of Fitchburg to provide residents and businesses with new, City-vetted options for electricity supply. 

Fitchburg CEA’s Aggregation Plan was approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on September 30, 2022, and the City is evaluating opportunities to launch the program as soon as possible.

On the Fitchburg CEA website (https://fitchburgcea.com/), you can read more in-depth information about the program and follow the program launch timeline.  There is also a form to get in touch with the program organizers and offer your feedback.

Before program launch, the City of Fitchburg will launch an extensive public outreach and education campaign to ensure that the community is aware of the program. The program is open to electricity customers in Fitchburg – whether they are a resident, a business, a renter or an owner.

Notices about the program:

• Please keep in mind that future savings cannot be guaranteed because Unitil Basic Service rates change regularly.
• Eligible customers will receive a Customer Notification Letter detailing the program and ways to leave the program (opt out); those who choose not to opt out will be automatically enrolled.
• Customers who have chosen a third-party supplier will not receive a Customer Notification Letter and will not be automatically enrolled. They can voluntarily join the program, but they may be subject to penalties or early termination fees from the third-party supplier if they switch to the electricity program during the term of their contract with their chosen supplier.
• Fitchburg CEA will not replace Unitil, the electric utility in Fitchburg, which will continue to deliver your electricity, repair power outages, and maintain the electricity grid; they will also continue send you one bill for the electricity you used.

Historical Development of the Program: 

In 2019 the City of Fitchburg, under Mayor DiNatale’s direction initiated the pursuit of Municipal Aggregation for the City’s electric rate payers, and our Chief Procurement Officer prepared a Request For Proposal (RFP) to secure an energy supplier. The City received three responses; Good Energy, Mass Power Choice and Colonial Power. After being evaluated by Procurement and the Mayor, Good Energy was selected.

On December 31, 2020, the City of Fitchburg filed our aggregation document with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Docket 20-117- Electric, Petition for Approval - Municipal Aggregation Plan , pursuant to G.L.c. 164, § 134.

The City of Fitchburg has continued to work closely with DPU to comply with requirements to obtain approval of the City’s aggregation program.

• On May 17, 2022 DPU issued an order approving the municipal aggregation plan for the City of Fitchburg, subject to a Compliance Filing.
• On June 6, 2022 the City filed a Motion for Clarification and Reconsideration of the DPU order dated May 17, 2022, over certain concerns and restriction in the order that seemed to be more far-reaching than previous orders. This motion was supported by a letter from two national suppliers of electricity.
• On June 16, 2022, the City filed a 216 page compliance filing based on the DPU requests of May 17, 2022.
• On August 30, 2022 the DPU requested a further compliance filing.
• On September 23, 2022, the City filed a 165 page response to the request for August 30, 2022 compliance filing.
• On September 30, 2022, the DPU approved the City’s compliance filing.