Present: Feldman, Padula, Mercer, kelly, Vallee, Pfeffer, Bissanti, Williams, Dellorco
Absent: none
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
September 17, 2014, June 18, 2014
motion to accept revised edits, seconded, approved 9-0
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
– This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin Matters.
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
none
E. APPOINTMENTS
none
F. HEARINGS
none
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
none
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
none
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
none
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Why is my National Grid bill skyrocketing and what can I do about it?
From Brett Feldman:
I've heard from a lot of people who have opened their winter National Grid bills and got extreme sticker shock. They are wondering what happened and how they can address it. I'm sorry I didn't write this sooner in the season when it could have been more helpful for this winter, but hopefully I can provide some short-term help, prevent people from making reactionary mistakes, and give some suggestions to better manage your energy costs in the long term.
A little history and background. National Grid is a regulated monopoly utility. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities controls how National Grid can charge its customers. Because energy is a volatile commodity, the DPU requires National Grid to procure electricity for its customers on a relatively long-term basis to reduce risk. Electricity prices actually change on a hourly basis, but National Grid purchases 6-month blocks at a fixed price. Sometimes this price might end up higher than the actual prices over that term, and sometimes it might be lower, but the idea is to lower the risk to the consumers. National Grid makes NO profit on this function.
New England relies greatly on natural gas to fuel its power plants these days. We don't have any native sources of natural gas here, so we have to get it here by pipelines, and we are at the end of the pipeline. Pipelines have limited capacity, so if there is excessive demand due to cold weather, there can be a shortage and prices will spike. So even if natural gas prices in general are low, local congestion costs can increase our price. It's similar to gasoline prices being cheaper in Oklahoma and Texas than here because we need to transport it here, which adds costs.
This winter, electricity prices in New England were expected to increase dramatically based on the Polar Vortex last winter. Last winter, there was extremely cost weather, and real-time electricity prices spiked very high. So energy traders were concerned about a repeat this winter, and that risk premium was built in when National Grid bought its winter supply last fall. In reality, the weather hasn't been nearly as bad this winter and prices have not been as high. But last winter, National Grid locked in ahead of time at lower rates than what actually transpired, so we consumers actually saved money whether we realized it or not.
I hope that helps explain how we got here, and didn't just confuse you more.
In any case, what can you do now to deal with the high rates? I'll give you a few options.
Unfortunately there is no comparison site like Orbitz, so you have to check each one individually. They are not regulated by the DPU, so they can offer a range of options, from monthly pricing to long-term fixed price contracts.
Because I knew what was going to happen with the National Grid rates back in October, I locked in for the 6-month winter season for 7 cents with Provider Power. At this point, you won't find anything that low. I would advise against locking in for more than a few months now, because the National Grid rates almost always go down in the summer.
See the history here http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/non_html/MA_Residential_Table.pdf.
And next winter likely won't be as high as this winter since we are having a mild season and gas storage should be ok.
You can't just focus on the price, you also have to think about quantity. Most people use about twice as much electricity during summer months than winter due to air conditioning. So you don't want to lock in a higher rate in the summer, because it will cost you a lot more than the winter due to the higher volume.
They will give you CFL or LED lightbulbs and other tips like more insulation or more efficient heating and air conditioning equipment. Also, think about turning off lights and electronics when not in use, getting smart power strips that save energy, and turning down thermostats when possible. My house uses about half the electricity of a normal house our size because I have trained my kids to be light police.
If you have good solar access on your roof, you can expect a 4-5 year payback. Otherwise, it may be 7-8 years. If that is too long or you don't have good solar access, you can still invest in Community Solar, which allows you to buy a piece of a solar array somewhere else but get the same financial benefit.
So don't feel helpless; there are actions you can take. I am happy to talk with anyone about more details. I have nothing to gain professionally, I just want to help my fellow residents (although maybe I could make a business out of it!).
Why is my National Grid bill skyrocketing and what can I do about it?
I've heard from a lot of people who have opened their winter National Grid bills and got extreme sticker shock. They are wondering what happened and how they can address it. I'm sorry I didn't write this sooner in the season when it could have been more helpful for this winter, but hopefully I can provide some short-term help, prevent people from making reactionary mistakes, and give some suggestions to better manage your energy costs in the long term.
A little history and background. National Grid is a regulated monopoly utility. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities controls how National Grid can charge its customers. Because energy is a volatile commodity, the DPU requires National Grid to procure electricity for its customers on a relatively long-term basis to reduce risk. Electricity prices actually change on a hourly basis, but National Grid purchases 6-month blocks at a fixed price. Sometimes this price might end up higher than the actual prices over that term, and sometimes it might be lower, but the idea is to lower the risk to the consumers. National Grid makes NO profit on this function.
 |
| nationalGRID |
New England relies greatly on natural gas to fuel its power plants these days. We don't have any native sources of natural gas here, so we have to get it here by pipelines, and we are at the end of the pipeline. Pipelines have limited capacity, so if there is excessive demand due to cold weather, there can be a shortage and prices will spike. So even if natural gas prices in general are low, local congestion costs can increase our price. It's similar to gasoline prices being cheaper in Oklahoma and Texas than here because we need to transport it here, which adds costs.
This winter, electricity prices in New England were expected to increase dramatically based on the Polar Vortex last winter. Last winter, there was extremely cost weather, and real-time electricity prices spiked very high. So energy traders were concerned about a repeat this winter, and that risk premium was built in when National Grid bought its winter supply last fall. In reality, the weather hasn't been nearly as bad this winter and prices have not been as high. But last winter, National Grid locked in ahead of time at lower rates than what actually transpired, so we consumers actually saved money whether we realized it or not.
I hope that helps explain how we got here, and didn't just confuse you more.
In any case, what can you do now to deal with the high rates? I'll give you a few options.
1. Alternative Suppliers
Similar to how the airline and telecommunication industries were deregulated in the 1980s and 1990s, the energy industry has been deregulated as well. You will always have National Grid providing the physical delivery of electricity, but you can choose the financial supplier of your electricity. There are a number of suppliers listed on National Grid's website http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/home/energychoice/4_supplier_list.asp.Unfortunately there is no comparison site like Orbitz, so you have to check each one individually. They are not regulated by the DPU, so they can offer a range of options, from monthly pricing to long-term fixed price contracts.
Because I knew what was going to happen with the National Grid rates back in October, I locked in for the 6-month winter season for 7 cents with Provider Power. At this point, you won't find anything that low. I would advise against locking in for more than a few months now, because the National Grid rates almost always go down in the summer.
See the history here http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/non_html/MA_Residential_Table.pdf.
And next winter likely won't be as high as this winter since we are having a mild season and gas storage should be ok.
You can't just focus on the price, you also have to think about quantity. Most people use about twice as much electricity during summer months than winter due to air conditioning. So you don't want to lock in a higher rate in the summer, because it will cost you a lot more than the winter due to the higher volume.
2. Energy Efficiency
The cheapest energy is what you don't use, so energy efficiency is the best way to cut your bills. Get a free energy audit from National Grid http://www.masssave.com/. |
| Mass save |
They will give you CFL or LED lightbulbs and other tips like more insulation or more efficient heating and air conditioning equipment. Also, think about turning off lights and electronics when not in use, getting smart power strips that save energy, and turning down thermostats when possible. My house uses about half the electricity of a normal house our size because I have trained my kids to be light police.
3. Produce your own energy, like Solar
These days, you can take matters into your own hands as well by generating your own energy. The Franklin Solar Challenge http://solarflair.com/solarize/franklin-solar-challenge is currently underway to offer residents a vetted vendor and the best group pricing possible. The more homeowners and business that sign-up, the better price everyone gets. Plus, if we get a certain level of participation, our vendor will donate a solar array to a local non-profit or affordable housing unit. Everyone wins. |
| Franklin Solar Challenge |
If you have good solar access on your roof, you can expect a 4-5 year payback. Otherwise, it may be 7-8 years. If that is too long or you don't have good solar access, you can still invest in Community Solar, which allows you to buy a piece of a solar array somewhere else but get the same financial benefit.
So don't feel helpless; there are actions you can take. I am happy to talk with anyone about more details. I have nothing to gain professionally, I just want to help my fellow residents (although maybe I could make a business out of it!).
Brett Feldman
Franklin Town Council
Navigant Consulting
17-year energy industry veteran
FBRTC Fundraiser at Pour Richard's - Jan 25
Join the Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee (FBRTC) for a fundraiser at Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits on 14 Grove Street, Franklin on Sunday, January 25th between 2 and 5 p.m.
Come share good drink, snacks, and conversation with members of the Committee, and learn about our efforts to develop the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) through our two towns.
There will be a $10 voluntary donation for FBRTC at the door, and Pour Richard's is generously donating a portion from its profits to the FBRTC.
Delicious samples from Tastefully Simple will be served along with other special morsels to pair with your tastings!
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| liquor display at Pour Richard's |
You can respond to the invitation on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/events/788175184602142/
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| yes, this was a wet section in December but still passable on the side |
You can find out more about the Rail Trail Committe on their webpage here
http://franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/
Where is the SNETT in Franklin?
The trail head is located on Grove St2 Special Events at Team Fitness/CrossFit Franklin This Sunday
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FHS basketball teams top Stoughton
From Hockomock Sports we find that both the boys and girls basketball teams beat Stoughton on Tuesday.
For all the results from Tuesday's action in the Hockomock League
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-012015
Boys basketball
 |
| FHS Panthers |
Stoughton, 44 @ Franklin, 72 - Final - Franklin junior Tim Prunier led all scorers in the game with 16 points and senior Dylan Reno added 11 points for the Panthers. Stoughton's Brandon Teixeira scored a team-high 14 points for the Black Knights.
Girls basketball
Franklin, 59 @ Stoughton, 20 - Final - The Panthers built a 25-4 lead at halftime. Franklin was led by Lauren Rudolph with nine points, while Lexi Martin added eight, Olivia Adiletto had seven, Kiera Fernandes and Caroline Maguire each had six. Eleven Franklin players scored in the game.
For all the results from Tuesday's action in the Hockomock League
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-012015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Franklin Solar Challenge: "reached Tier 4 pricing in record time"
The Franklin Solar Challenge, a Town sponsored program that allows residents to take advantage of group-buying power for solar PV panels which help offset the rising cost of electric bills, has reached Tier 4 pricing in record time.
The Solar Challenge was launched in early September by local solar installer, SolarFlair Energy in Ashland, and is having early success in the amount of residents who have signed up in the program.
“This is the fastest SolarFlair has reached the Tier 4 pricing level, out of all 9 communities that have participated in this type of program with us.” Said Dan Barnett, SolarFlair’s Residential Sales Manager.
Franklin Solar Challenge
The pricing is based on five tiers, the base price, which starts at Tier 1, goes down per watt as more people sign up. A customer will save $2,400 on an average system of 20 panels. The expected payback would be 3-5 years.
SolarFlair has also offered a Tier 6 and 7, which means Franklin has reached 400 or 600 kilowatts of contracted solar power, if Tier 7 is reached then SolarFlair will donate two solar PV systems to local non-profit organizations.
Last year, as part of the Chelmsford-Carlisle solar program, SolarFlair Energy donated a solar PV system to The Paul Center, a local non-profit organization that serves children and young adults with disabilities.
The Franklin Solar Challenge offers Franklin residents an opportunity to reduce its impact on the environment, save money and increase its energy independence.
For more information or to schedule a free home assessment, contact SolarFlair Energy, 508-808-4556 or email at franklinsolar@solarflair.com. You can also sign up online at SolarFlair.com by clicking the Franklin Solar Challenge logo.
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| screen grab of Solar Flair webpage for Solarize Franklin |
Solar Flair has established an office here in Franklin. You can visit them on East Central St. They are in the Lorusso building on the corner of Chestnut and East Central.
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| Solar Flair in Franklin |
https://www.facebook.com/FranklinSolarChallenge
Franklin Library: Ken Gloss - Brattle Book Store
Ken Gloss of the Brattle Book Shop will speak at the Franklin Library on Tuesday, Jan 27th at 6:30 PM. He will talk on the value of old and rare books.
Following the talk and question/answer session, he will give verbal appraisals of books that attendees bring with them.
This was shared from the Library webpage here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/01/ken-gloss-of-brattle-book-shop.html
Following the talk and question/answer session, he will give verbal appraisals of books that attendees bring with them.
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| Ken Gloss - Brattle Book Store |
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/01/ken-gloss-of-brattle-book-shop.html
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