Medford Seeks Public Input On Updated Community Electricity Program Plan

MEDFORD, MA — The city is seeking public feedback on updates to its Community Electricity Aggregation plan, a municipal energy program that officials say has saved residents more than $11 million since launching in 2019.

The updated aggregation plan, filed in accordance with new Department of Public Utilities guidelines, is available for public review online or in Room 308 of Medford City Hall at 85 George P. Hassett Drive. Written comments on the proposal will be accepted through Monday, June 22. Submissions can be sent via email to support_ma@goodenergy.com or ocd@medford-ma.gov. They can also be physically mailed to City Hall.

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Medford Community Electricity Aggregation, commonly known as Medford CEA, is a city-operated group purchasing program that provides electricity supply options designed to lower costs and increase the use of renewable energy. According to the city, the program procures more than 9,500 megawatt hours of renewable energy annually on behalf of residents and businesses.

The city first received approval for its original aggregation plan from the Department of Public Utilities in 2019. New state guidelines issued in July 2024 expanded local authority over municipal aggregation programs and introduced additional transparency requirements. Officials said the revised plan updates Medford’s program to comply with those changes while also allowing for more flexibility in future operations.

Among the changes included in the revised plan is a new automatic enrollment policy for certain income-eligible customers. New National Grid or Eversource customers who qualify for low-income electric discounts and have not already selected the program’s 100 percent Local Green option will automatically be enrolled in Medford Basic, the program’s lowest-cost supply option.

City officials said current program participants do not need to take any action and pricing for Medford CEA will remain unchanged through December 2027. More than 18,000 accounts are currently enrolled in the program’s Medford Local Green option, including roughly 900 income-eligible households. That option provides electricity sourced with 10 percent more Massachusetts Class I renewable energy credits than required under state standards.

Officials also highlighted additional savings opportunities available to low-income residents. Customers enrolled in National Grid’s or Eversource’s discount rate programs may receive total electric bill discounts ranging from 32 percent to 71 percent while remaining enrolled in Medford CEA supply options.

Residents can switch between Medford CEA supply options or leave the program at any time without penalty. Officials encouraged residents currently using third-party electricity suppliers to review their rates carefully. According to a recent Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office report, low-income Medford residents using third-party suppliers paid an average of $20 more in April 2025 than they would have otherwise, while all Medford customers with third-party suppliers collectively paid nearly $50,000 more during that month alone.

The Attorney General’s Office has also created a Medford-specific webinar focused on avoiding costly third-party energy suppliers. The presentation is available online and airs weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8 p.m. on Medford TV’s PUB channel. It will also be shown at the Medford Senior Center on Tuesday, June 9 at 1:30 p.m.

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