South Kingstown Community Electricity: Launching May 2023 with Rate of 9.361 ¢/kWh for Residential Customers
South Kingstown, RI - (February 27, 2023) - The Town of South Kingstown announces that it will launch its electricity aggregation program, South Kingstown Community Electricity, in May 2023. The Program is designed to provide new, competitively priced electricity supply options, including the use of more renewable energy. The Program was approved by the South Kingstown Town Council in July 2020.
The Program will offer a standard electricity option that will cost less than the current Last Resort Service rate from Rhode Island Energy while using 5% more renewable energy than required by state law.
The Program will also offer three optional electricity options - a 100% renewable energy and 50% renewable energy options for those looking to have a significant climate impact, and an option with only the minimum amount of renewable energy required by state law for those seeking the lowest cost. The electricity rates will be fixed over an initial six-month period from May 2023 through November 2023.
The table below shows the prices for Residential customers. NOTE: South Kingstown Standard is the default rate. Prices for Commercial and Industrial customers can be found on the Program website:
| Rhode Island Energy Last Resort Service (if you opt out) | South Kingstown Basic | South Kingstown Standard (automatic) | South Kingstown 50 | South Kingstown 100 |
|
Residential Price | 9.761 ¢/kWh | 9.151 ¢/kWh | 9.361 ¢/kWh | 10.222 ¢/kWh | 12.321 ¢/kWh |
Voluntary Renewable Energy | None | None | Adds 5% voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) | Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 50% | Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 100% |
Duration | April to Sept.2023 | May to Nov. 2023 | May to Nov. 2023 | May to Nov. 2023 | May to Nov. 2023 |
The Last Resort Service Rate above reflects the rate filed by Rhode Island Energy in RI PUC Commission Docket 23-01-EL on January 19, 2023, and includes components that may be adjusted by Rhode Island Energy. The Program cannot guarantee savings beyond the current term of Last Resort Service, as stated in the table above, because future Last Resort Service rates are unknown |
All of the Program’s additional renewable energy will come from sources that qualify as Rhode Island New, and the Program will support a number of local Rhode Island projects, including sourcing power from wind turbines in Coventry and Providence and solar built on brownfields in Johnston, North Providence, and West Greenwich.
All South Kingstown residential and business electricity customers using Rhode Island Energy’s Last Resort Service electricity option are eligible for automatic enrollment in the Program’s standard electricity option as of their May 2023 meter read date. In the beginning of March 2023, all eligible customers will receive a Notification Letter on behalf of the Town from the chosen electricity supplier for the Program, NextEra Energy Services. The letter will notify them of the upcoming enrollment and provide instructions on how to choose a different Program option other that the standard or how to opt out of Program and not participate. Anyone that does not want to participate in South Kingstown Community Electricity may opt out without penalty, either before the Program begins or at any time during the Program.
Electricity customers who are currently enrolled with a third-party supplier will not receive the Notification Letter and will not be automatically enrolled. These customers can voluntarily join the Program, but are advised to check with their current supplier in case it may charge penalties or early termination fees if they leave that supplier during the term of their contract.
The Town is part of a group of seven municipalities leading the way in Rhode Island to launch the state’s first municipal aggregation programs: Barrington, Central Falls, Narragansett, Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, South Kingstown. Each community is launching their own distinct program in May 2023, but combined their buying power to procure a common electricity supplier, Next Era Energy Services.
For more information about the South Kingstown Community Electricity, go to Electricity.SouthKingstownRI.com or call the program’s supplier, NextEra Energy Service, at (888) 387-1085.