Consumer Alert: Beware of Electricity Offers

Many Cambridge residents receive phone calls, letters and door-to-door solicitors asking them to switch their electricity supply.  Some solicitors even say they work for your utility company, Eversource, or are approved by the City. Eversource will never knock on your door or call you about your electricity bill. Do not show anyone your utility bill or share your utility account number unless you actually want to change your electricity supplier. Beware of the many ways that suppliers can drive up your electricity bills. Some suppliers offer low introductory rates that quickly escalate. Some suppliers charge you to end your contract.

If you experience an interaction with an electricity supplier that you think was misleading, pushy or deceptive please report it:
Department of Public Utilities Consumer Division
617-737-2836
DPUConsumer.Complaints@state.ma.us
Tell the DPU the name of the company, the issue, and the date of the occurrence.

The City of Cambridge offers a safe and consumer friendly electricity supply, the Cambridge Community Electricity Program. The City has had volunteers promoting the 100% renewable electricity option and Community Electricity Program volunteers will be clearly identified as volunteers.

Most residents are automatically enrolled in the City’s Community Electricity Program. The City of Cambridge rate is fixed from now through December 2020 at 11.12 ¢/kWh. The 100% renewable electricity rate is 11.94 ¢/ kWh.  While the City does not guarantee savings, Cambridge residents enrolled in the Community Electricity Program have saved over $10 million dollars compared to Eversource.

You can check your bill to see if you are currently enrolled in the Cambridge Community Electricity program.  Look on your bill for:

CAMBRIDGE COMM ELEC
DIRECT ENERGY
Billing for CITY OF CAMBRIDGE

If you see a different supplier listed on your bill and want help switching to the City’s Community Electricity program, please call or email Meghan Shaw. You can also contact Meghan about suppliers that you feel have misleading, pushy or deceptive.

Meghan Shaw
617-349-5323
mshaw@cambridgema.gov

If you would like to sign up for the Cambridge Community Electricity Program’s 100% renewable electricity, please call the City’s supplier:

Direct Energy:
1-866-968-8065

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