Community Choice Electricity (a.k.a Community Choice Aggregation)

Town of Scituate Community Choice Aggregation Committee

Background:

At the November 14, 2018 Special Town Meeting, voters approved an article to see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to research, develop and participate in a Community Choice Aggregation Program, including contract for electric supply for Scituate residents and businesses as per Massachusetts General Law 164, Section 134 of the Acts of 1997, or otherwise act thereon. This includes authorizing the Town Administrator to establish and/or appoint representatives for a committee to oversee such independent action, or take any other action relative thereto, and to execute all documents necessary to accomplish the same.

Membership:

The Board of Selectmen is establishing a Community Choice Aggregation Committee comprised of 5-7 members, for a term of one year, residing in and being registered voters of the Town of Scituate.  The Board shall endeavor to appoint individuals who have background in energy and utility fields, or other relevant experience. One member will be from Sustainable South Shore. The members of the Committee shall serve for one-year terms and shall meet at designated dates, times and locations that are convenient to its members as well as promoting strong public participation. Members may be removed by vote of the Board of Selectmen.

Charge

The Charge of this committee is to research, develop and initiate a process to develop a Community Choice Aggregation plan that includes as a goal the increased use of Class I renewable resources for the generation of electricity for Scituate participants and will include a contract for electric supply for Scituate residents and businesses as per Massachusetts General law 164, Section 134 of the Acts of 1997, or otherwise act thereon.

  1. The Community Choice Aggregation plan shall increase (from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' mandated requirement) participants' use of Class I renewable sources of electricity by a percentage of retail sales while keeping average household bills competitive relative to National Grid's basic service rate.
  2. In addition to basic service, The Community Choice Aggregation plan could provide options (with more or less renewable sources compared to the Town’s CCA basic service) for residents and small businesses to choose from.
  3. Further, the Community Choice Aggregation plan shall include, if feasible and appropriate, provisions that entitle participants to charitable deductions on their income tax filings to give consumers the additional benefit of potential tax savings.
  4. The Community Choice Aggregation plan shall include clear and easily executed steps allowing consumers to opt out of, or later to opt in to the Aggregation program corresponding to the Community Choice Aggregation plan, with no penalty or other cost, and at any time.
  5. That, in addition to all other requirements for notice in Massachusetts General Laws or regulations of the Department of Public Utilities, the Town of Scituate will communicate directly with citizens about Community Choice Aggregation program and its electricity service options as well as its opt-out provision.

Conduct:

All meetings are to be held in a public location, properly posted and open to the public in accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.  Minutes of each meeting shall be prepared and approved by the Committee within thirty (30) days of any meeting and distributed to the Town Clerk.  Committee members shall be mindful of their attendance obligations at Committee meetings as identified in the Town Charter and of MGL Chapter 268A, the Conflict of Interest Law.

 

Board Members

Name Title
Kathleen Cerruti
Scott Greenbaum Vice Chair
Lisa Scanlon Secretary
Lisa Bertola Chair
James Fessenden
James Boudreau Town Administrator
Jerry Kelly Advisory Representative