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Real-Pierre-Delecto2 t1_iv1y3b8 wrote

Reply to comment by Aperron in New England may not have enough natural gas to last the winter by mycophdstudent

> The finances of utilities like GMP and VELCO are absolutely affected by fluctuations and shortages in natural gas because natural gas makes up about 50% of the baseload for ISO NE

Not quite correct. The reason our rates have not gone up like the other NE states NH and MA have doubled is the fact the we don't use nat gas. GMP has long term contracts with Hydro Quebec, Seabrook NPP to name just a few. Those prices are stable and have no bearing on ISO NE but for the rare times they have to purchase extra power during very high use times. GMP has done great work in eliminating the need to do that with their use of Powerwalls and other grid tied battery systems. Yes the power commingles on the lines once generated but GMP pays the same to the producer not ISO NE. That's why it matters not how much nat gas is in the ISO NE mix as we don't contract with nat gas power plants.

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Twombls t1_iv2qupk wrote

Very thankful VT has stable contracts with hydro quebec.

Also very thankful VT doesn't have a deregulated market like mass. Those people are screwed this winter.

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wittgensteins-boat t1_iva44mj wrote

Municipalities can own distribution in Massachusetts.

Forty-one municipal electric companies serve 50 municipalities.

Via Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric company, these municipalities have long term contracts and partial ownership of base load nuclear plants, and conventional fossil fuel plants. Their rates will be steadier and have smaller rise than in commercial electric company territories in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts municipally-owned electric companies.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-municipally-owned-electric-companies.

Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric Company.
https://www.mmwec.org/

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Twombls t1_ivapoy0 wrote

They can but not all municipalities do. If you live outdide of a municipal electric company you are kind of screwed.

But still having a monopolistic energy company like vermont does help a lot during times of energy shortage because they are better able to negotiate prices. Even though during surplus times you may pay more.

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wittgensteins-boat t1_ive57s4 wrote

Also in the vicinity of 200 non-municipal electric providing locales of the 351 total Massachusetts municipalities have engaged in aggregation contracts making for longer-term term price stability of more than a year, depending on when the contract was negotiated and whom is the provider, for consumer choice on power providers.

Municipal Aggregation.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/municipal-aggregation.

Separately state-wide there is choice on power process, in towns without municipal electric companies. Service rates apply for transport distribution of power.

https://www.energyswitchma.gov

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Swede577 t1_iv4rndi wrote

The price increases are pretty crazy in Massachusetts. National grids rate is now an insane .48 kwh. They just took over Hawaii as the most expensive electricity in the US. Most of Hawaii's baseload power plants are oil.

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Twombls t1_iv5uohz wrote

Thats because you guys have an unregulated market where your providers are trading electricity like stocks.

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wittgensteins-boat t1_iva7g6q wrote

The Massachusetts Dept of Public Utilities regulates according to various statutes.

Electric providers can have long term contracts with fuel providers,
and with consuming electric distribution companies that can slow rate changes.

There are also Municipal electric companies with a different statutory regime.

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Twombls t1_ivaov4l wrote

"Deregulation" or "consumer choice" is just the industry name for their style of consumer energy market

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wittgensteins-boat t1_ive5r51 wrote

Municipalities can own distribution in Massachusetts.

Fortty-one municipal electric companies serve 50 municipalities, out of 351 municipalities in Massachusetts.

Via Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric company, these municipalities have long term contracts and partial ownership of base load nuclear plants, and conventional fossil fuel plants, peaking plants and Solar production sites and a Hydro Quebec sourcing agreement on power lines MMEC has transport rights for. The MMWEC rates will be steadier and have smaller rise than in commercial electric company territories in Massachusetts. Some Vermont utilities are partners with MMWEC projects.

Massachusetts municipally-owned electric companies. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-municipally-owned-electric-companies.

Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. https://www.mmwec.org/

Hydro Quebec agreement.

https://www.mmwec.org/wp-content/uploads/DEED-Grants-Announcement-release-final.pdf

Also in the vicinity of 200 of 351 municipalities have engaged in contracts making for longer-term term price stability of more than a year, depending on when the contract was negotiated and whom is the provider, for consumer choice on power providers.

Municipal Aggregation. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/municipal-aggregation.

Separately state-wide there is choice and term of time for power process, in towns without municipal electric companies. This also can give price stability to consumers for a contracted period. Separate Service rates eapply for transport of power.

https://www.energyswitchma.gov.

Then outside of these programs, the default utility has rate setting review via the Mass. Dept. Of Public Utilities.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-electric-rates-and-tariffs.

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