Valley Green Energy is a municipal electricity aggregation, which is a form or group electricity purchasing. The program is administered jointly by the Town of Amherst, the City of Northampton, and the Town of Pelham.

Typically, your electric utility, Eversource or National Grid, provides two sets of services to you:

1. They deliver your electricity. Delivery services appear on your bill as your Delivery charge.
2. They also supply your electricity, which means they buy electricity for you and pass the cost along to you. The cost of the electricity they buy for you appears on your bill as your Supply charge.

In Massachusetts, there are actually three ways to purchase your electricity:

• Your utility can do it for you, as just described. This is called Basic Service, and this is how most people buy their electricity.
• You can sign a contract with an electricity supplier yourself. You may have received offers in the mail or over the phone.
• Your municipal government can sign a contract with an electricity supplier that you can benefit from. This third option is municipal electricity aggregation, and this is what Valley Green Energy is.

Learn more about how aggregation works.

Municipal electricity aggregation was enabled by the Massachusetts Restructuring Act of 1997 (Chapter 164, Section 134), which allows local municipal governments to aggregate the electricity supply loads of the electricity consumers within their geographic boundaries in order to negotiate more favorable terms with an electricity supplier.

Municipal aggregations are subject to oversight by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and the Valley Green Energy Aggregation Plan is subject to a regulatory review and approval process before Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham will be authorized to implement the program. (Learn more about the Valley Green Energy implementation process.)

Nearly 50% of Massachusetts communities have already launched electricity aggregations.

Through Valley Green Energy, Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham will use the bulk buying power of the communities to provide you with new electricity choices that will give you greater control over the environmental characteristics and price of your electricity supply.

• Cleaner electricity – Valley Green Energy participants will automatically receive more renewable electricity than is required by state law. (The standard amount is still to be determined, depending in part on electricity prices at the time the communities enter into a contract with an electricity supplier.) Or you will be able to choose other amounts of renewable electricity.
• Price stability – The program will provide a fixed price for electricity supply over a long period of time. This will make the program different from Eversource’s and National Grid’s Basic Service, where the price changes every six months or less, and from many commercial offers in the marketplace.
• Consumer protections – Valley Green Energy will provide a trustworthy, transparent alternative to other electricity supply offers in the marketplace. The program will include consumer protections, such as no hidden fees and the ability to opt out of the program at any time with no penalty.

No. Municipal electricity aggregation has been building momentum across Massachusetts. Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham are joining more than 150 other Massachusetts communities that already have aggregations. Increasingly, communities are implementing “green” aggregations like Valley Green Energy will be, which increase the amount of renewable electricity in the community’s electricity supply beyond the minimum amount required by state law.

You will see two key changes as a result of participating in Valley Green Energy:

1. On the electric bill you receive from either Eversource or National Grid, you will see the Valley Green Energy electricity supplier listed as your electricity supplier.
2. Your Supply charge will be calculated using a Valley Green Energy price instead of your utility’s Basic Service price.

Additionally, the amount of renewable energy that you receive may change, depending on which program option you choose, though this information is not reflected on your bill.

Otherwise, everything else will remain the same. You will continue to receive your electric bill from your electric utility, Eversource for Amherst and Pelham and National Grid for Northampton, you will continue to pay your electric utility, and you will continue to call your electric utility if your power goes out.

If you are eligible for any discounts or credits from Eversource or National Grid, these benefits will be unaffected by your participation in Valley Green Energy.

Valley Green Energy will send a letter to electricity accounts that are eligible for automatic enrollment after the Valley Green Energy Aggregation Plan receives regulatory approval. That letter has not been mailed. It will arrive in an envelope bearing the Valley Green Energy logo, and the letter itself will also bear the Valley Green Energy logo. The letter will not ask for additional information. If your account is eligible to be automatically enrolled, as will be the case for most electricity customers, you will not need to provide any additional information.

Please note: Eversource, National Grid, Valley Green Energy, the City of Northampton, and the towns of Amherst and Pelham do not make sales calls or visits to your home.

Any person or company who asks for additional information (such as the account number on your electric bill) when they market their program to you does not represent Valley Green Energy, a utility, or any of our member communities.

If you receive a letter that does not include the Valley Green Energy logo, it is not from Valley Green Energy. If you wish to confirm whether you have received a legitimate program communication, you can contact customer support with Valley Green Energy’s program consultants.

If you receive a call or a visit from someone who wants to discuss your electricity, keep these two things in mind:

• You should treat your electricity account number like you treat your credit card information. Do not give it out unless you want to change your electricity supplier.
• You do have the right to select an electricity supplier of your choice. If you choose to explore this option, please check the terms of the agreement carefully. Things to check for include, but are not limited to: minimum bill amounts, contract length requirements, early termination fees, low introductory rates that change after the introductory period ends, and rates that vary.

If you feel a salesperson has fraudulently identified themself, please report it to the Department of Public Utilities Consumer Division 617-737-2836, or DPUConsumer.Complaints@state.ma.us.

The program will last as long as Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham believe it is providing value for the community. The communities will sign an initial contract with an electricity supplier when the program launches. At the end of that contract, they can decide whether to continue the program or discontinue it and return all participants to Eversource’s and National Grid’s Basic Service prices.

Call your utility if your power goes out, as always. In Amherst and Pelham, your electric utility is Eversource. In Northampton, it’s National Grid. Your electric utility will continue to deliver your electricity and maintain the poles and wires, and will remain responsible for addressing power outages.

Yes. You will continue to receive solar credits and/or solar incentive payments, and participating in Valley Green Energy will not change how they are calculated.

Tax-exempt accounts that wish to maintain their tax-exempt status in Valley Green Energy must submit tax-exemption documentation to the program’s electricity supplier.

This means that tax-exemption documentation must be submitted each time the program’s electricity supplier changes.

The program’s electricity supplier is required by the State of Massachusetts to have valid tax-exemption documentation on hand for all tax-exempt accounts.

You may have submitted tax-exemption documentation to Eversource or National Grid already, but the utilities do not share this documentation with the program’s electricity supplier. It is the customer’s responsibility to submit this documentation.

More information about where to send your tax-exemption documentation will be available closer to program launch.

Most electricity accounts in Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham will be automatically enrolled when the program launches.

Specifically, all electricity accounts on Eversource’s and National Grid’s Basic Service (meaning those who have not signed a private contract with an electricity supplier) will be automatically enrolled at launch, unless they opt out.

If you have a private contract with an electricity supplier at the time the program launches, your account will not be automatically enrolled, but you can choose to enroll, and the enrollment process will be easy. Please be aware that your electricity supplier may charge early termination fees, so you should carefully review your current contract terms and conditions before deciding to enroll.

More information about enrollment will be available after the Valley Green Energy Aggregation Plan receives regulatory approval.

All metered electricity customers within the geographic boundaries of Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham will be eligible to participate. All electricity customers with either Eversource’s or National Grid’s Basic Service (meaning those who have not signed a private contract with an electricity supplier) will be automatically enrolled when the program launches. The automatic enrollment model is state law.

No. While the program has an automatic enrollment model in accordance with state law, participation is not required. There is no penalty for opting out. You may do so at any time. If you receive a letter notifying you that your account will be automatically enrolled, you may opt out of the program before being automatically enrolled, and you may also opt out any time after enrollment. If you opt out, the Supply portion of your electric bill from either Eversource or National Grid will continue to be calculated using your utility’s Basic Service price.

Yes, however if you opt out of the program and want to re-enroll, there’s a possibility that you will be charged a market price instead of the program price, and the market price may be higher.

Large commercial accounts may be eligible for higher market pricing instead of program pricing when they request initial enrollment in the program. If you are interested in submitting an enrollment request for your large commercial account, please contact customer support.

Valley Green Energy will offer the potential for savings compared with the average of Eversource’s and National Grid’s changing Basic Service prices. However, because utility Basic Service prices change every 6 months for residential and small business/commercial accounts and every 3 months for large business/industrial accounts and their future prices are not known, Valley Green Energy cannot guarantee to provide savings.

Yes. If you are eligible for automatic enrollment in Valley Green Energy, you will receive a letter in the mail with program information, including pricing, before you are enrolled.

We do not know yet. Valley Green Energy’s prices will be determined when a contract is signed with an electricity supplier. That contract will be signed after a competitive procurement process, which will occur after the state regulatory review and approval process for the Valley Green Energy Aggregation Plan has been completed.

Having a stable price for the Supply portion of your electric bill can protect you from the seasonal price increases that occur when you have Eversource’s or National Grid’s Basic Service pricing. The utilities’ Basic Service prices change every 6 months for residential and small business/commercial accounts and every 3 months for large business/industrial accounts, often rising in the winter.

Having a stable price for the Supply portion of your electric bill can also provide a predictable alternative to the variable prices of some electricity supply offers in the marketplace. Some electricity supply offers will provide a stable price for a few months, but then the price will vary monthly and will rise significantly.

Valley Green Energy prices will be fixed for longer than 6 months, and when they change, you will receive a notification by mail.

However, because Eversource’s and National Grid’s prices change and future prices are not known, Valley Green Energy cannot guarantee to provide savings compared with the utilities’ Basic Service prices.

Because the Valley Green Energy prices will be long-term fixed prices and Eversource’s and National Grid’s prices change, it is likely that for some months, the utility prices will fall below the Valley Green Energy prices.

Valley Green Energy cannot guarantee that it will beat the utilities’ Basic Service prices at all times, and that is not the goal. The aim is to be competitive with the average of the utilities’ changing prices, though savings can never be guaranteed.

You are free to leave the program at any time and return to your utility’s Basic Service price with no penalty or fee.

No. Your utility (Eversource for Amherst and Pelham and National Grid for Northampton) will continue to bill you for your electricity. This is the only electric bill you will receive as a participant in Valley Green Energy. The program will be integrated into your existing electric bill. See an example Eversource or National Grid bill.

Valley Green Energy will appear on the electric bill you receive from your utility in two ways:

1. On the electric bill you receive from either Eversource or National Grid, you will see the Valley Green Energy electricity supplier listed as your electricity supplier.
2. Your Supply charge will be calculated using a Valley Green Energy price instead of your utility’s Basic Service price.

See an example Eversource or National Grid bill.

Yes. If you have already chosen an electricity supplier, you will not be automatically enrolled in Valley Green Energy, but you may choose to participate, and enrolling will be easy. Please be aware that your electricity supplier may charge early termination fees, so you should carefully review your current contract terms and conditions before choosing to enroll. More information about enrolling will be available closer to program launch.

Eversource and National Grid are electric utilities. In Massachusetts, an electric utility is fundamentally an electricity delivery company. Eversource and National Grid do not generate electricity for you. They are responsible for delivering electricity to you, for maintaining the poles and wires, and for addressing power outages. They charge you for these services on the Delivery portion of your electric bill.

An electricity supplier is a company that buys electricity for you.

• For most electricity customers, their utility is also their electricity supplier. When you first open your electricity account, this is the case. When Eversource or National Grid is also your electricity supplier, you have what is known as Basic Service.
• You may also choose your own electricity supplier. If you do, the name of that company will appear on your utility electric bill as your electricity supplier, and your Supply charge will be calculated using the price provided with that electricity supplier.
• Through Valley Green Energy, Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham will work together to choose an electricity supplier for all three communities. If you participate, the name of the company selected by the program will appear on your utility electric bill as your electricity supplier, and your Supply charge will be calculated using a Valley Green Energy price instead of your utility’s Basic Service price.

Electricity service has two parts: supply and delivery. Supply refers to the electricity itself. Delivery is the process of bringing that electricity to you over the wires.

With Basic Service, your electric utility (Eversource or National Grid) is your electricity supplier and also delivers the electricity to you.

With Valley Green Energy, your utility will continue to deliver your electricity, but your supplier will be chosen by the program.

A competitive electricity supplier is not your electric utility. Electricity suppliers do not deliver your electricity. They buy it for you, and your electric utility delivers it.

A competitive electricity supplier is a company licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to purchase electricity and related services from the wholesale electricity markets for resale to retail electricity customers.

If you sign a private contract with an electricity supplier or you participate in a municipal program like Valley Green Energy, your electric utility (Eversource in Amherst and Pelham and National Grid in Northampton) will use your electricity supplier’s price to calculate the Supply charge on your electric bill instead of their own Basic Service price.

No. Eversource will remain the electric utility for Amherst and Pelham, and National Grid will remain the electric utility for Northampton. They will continue to deliver your electricity, and your primary relationship for electricity will remain with them.

Valley Green Energy will change the supplier on your utility electric bill, and it will change the price that is used to calculate the Supply charge on your electric bill. But your electric bill will continue to come from Eversource in Amherst and Pelham, and from National Grid in Northampton.

No. Eversource’s or National Grid’s quality of service to you will be unaffected by your participation in Valley Green Energy. The utilities do not profit from the Supply charge on your electric bill. They make their profit from Delivery charges. As a result, they have no preference whether they choose your supplier or Valley Green Energy does.

No. If you are eligible for a low-income discount from Eversource or National Grid, it will be unaffected by your participation in Valley Green Energy. You will continue to receive that discount.

If you are an Eversource customer in Amherst or Pelham, yes. Budget billing will continue to apply to the Delivery charge on your bill, but it will no longer apply to the Supply charge on your bill.

If you are a National Grid customer in Northampton, no. Budget billing will continue to apply to both the Delivery and the Supply charges on your bill.

Renewable electricity is generated by sources that can be renewed as opposed to sources that can be used only once, such as fossil fuels. Under Massachusetts state law, a variety of resources qualify as renewable. The main sources of renewable electricity are solar, wind, and small hydroelectric projects. Renewable electricity is sometimes referred to as green electricity or clean electricity.

Using renewable electricity is an important step you can take to fight climate change and increase your independence from fossil fuels like gas, coal, and oil. Electricity generated from renewable sources does not cause air pollution and does not emit the gases that cause climate change.

The minimum amount increases every year. For 2023, Massachusetts state law requires that 22% of your electricity comes from newer renewable energy projects in New England (Massachusetts Class I RECs).

In addition, state law requires the inclusion of a minimum amount of renewable energy from older renewable energy projects in New England (Massachusetts Class II RECs), as well as from some alternative energy sources that are considered highly efficient but not renewable.

For more information, visit the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources page on compliance information for the Renewable Portfolio Standard.