Before aggregation

Before an aggregation launches, most customers have their utility’s Basic Service. This means your utility is supplying (buying) your electricity in addition to delivering it, and your utility uses their Basic Service price to calculate the Supply charge on your bill. You are placed on your utility’s Basic Service when you first open your account, and you can always go back to it.

National Grid’s and Eversource’s Basic Service prices change every 6 months or less.

With an aggregation in place

With an aggregation, the electricity supplier chosen by Bellingham, which is currently Direct Energy and changing to Gridwealth Electric in December, supplies your electricity. But your utility continues to deliver your electricity without interruption. Your utility uses the price provided by the supplier to calculate the electricity supply charge on your bill instead of their Basic Service price. Bellingham Power Choice prices are fixed until December 2026.

Your primary relationship for electricity remains with National Grid or Eversource:

• You continue to call National Grid or Eversource if you lose power.
• You continue to receive one bill from National Grid or Eversource. This is the only electric bill you will receive as a participant in Bellingham Power Choice.
• You continue to send bill payments to National Grid or Eversource.

If you are eligible for a low-income discount or fuel assistance, you continue to receive that benefit.

If you have National Grid’s Budget Plan or Eversource’s Budget Billing, it continues to apply to your whole bill.

If you are participating in community solar, or you are receiving net metering credits or incentive payments for electricity produced by solar panels on your property, you will continue to receive your credits or incentive payments as a participant in Bellingham Power Choice. Further, there will be no change in how they are calculated. Their calculation is not connected to your electricity supply price.