Portsmouth Community Electricity is our town’s electricity supply program. The Program aims to help our community members manage electricity costs, increase renewable energy use, and reduce carbon pollution. Portsmouth Town Council approved this program in August 2020.
Community Forum
Special Virtual Discussion hosted by Green Energy Consumer’s Alliance
Tuesday, March 21st at 7:30 pm, Green Energy Consumers Alliance, the local non-profit that helps bring new renewable projects to New England, will be holding a virtual discussion about our town’s community electricity program. A second meeting will take place on Thursday, March 23rd at noon. Please go here to sign up.
Our Electricity Options
The table below summarizes the program’s residential options. For additional details, or for commercial and industrial pricing, see Electricity Options page here.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Portsmouth Standard (for automatic enrollment) |
Portsmouth Basic |
Portsmouth 50 |
Portsmouth 100 |
Rhode Island Energy Last Resort Service Residential |
| 9.361 ¢/kWh | 9.151 ¢/kWh | 10.222 ¢/kWh | 12.321 ¢/kWh | 10.341 ¢/kWh |
|
Adds 5% voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) |
No additional renewable energy |
Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 50% |
Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 100% |
No additional renewable energy |
| May 2023 to November 2023 | April 2023 to September 2023 | |||
Notification Letter Sent in Late February – Customers eligible for automatic enrollment in Portsmouth Community Electricity will receive a notification letter by early March 2023. Sent via US mail, the letter explains the electricity supply offers and your participation options.
If you receive the notification letter, your account will be automatically enrolled in Portsmouth Standard at 9.361 ¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh) starting on your May 2023 meter read. No action is necessary to receive this price. The deadline to opt-out and not participate in the program is April 8, 2023 (extended from April 3). If you are enrolled, you may always leave the program at any time, without penalty.
If you do not receive a letter, you will not be automatically enrolled. You may join the Program by submitting a request to enroll here.
How It Works
Portsmouth Community Electricity is a municipal electricity aggregation, operated by the Town of Portsmouth, and authorized by R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-3-1.2.
There are two parts to your Rhode Island Energy electricity bill, (1) Supply Services, and (2) Delivery Services.
If you participate in Portsmouth Community Electricity:
- The utility, Rhode Island Energy, will continue to provide all Delivery Services, which includes responding to power outages. You will continue to receive your electricity bill from Rhode Island Energy.
- The Supply Services portion of the Rhode Island Energy bill will change to reflect your participation in Portsmouth’s program.
- Customers in the Low-Income Rate Class (A60) will continue to receive their current percentage discount on the entire electricity bill.
- Budget billing customers will continue to receive budget billing for the Delivery Services portion of the bill.
- Customers that receive solar electricity benefits from net metering credits and/or Renewable Energy Growth Program payments will continue to receive those benefits.
- You may leave the Program or switch to a different program option at any time, without penalty.