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Providence Community Electricity is our city’s electricity supply program. The Program aims to help our community members manage electricity costs, increase renewable energy use, and reduce carbon pollution. Providence City Council approved this program in July 2020.

IMPORTANT RATE UPDATE

RI Energy has increased its proposed rate since the City sent its Notification Letter. Our Providence Community Electricity rates remain the same. Rates below are for residential customers that will be in effect when the Program launches in May 2023.

Providence Standard: 9.361 ¢/kWh
RI Energy Rate: 10.341 ¢/kWh

Public Meetings

• Monday, March 20, 20323 at 4 PM
  • Host: Sustainability Commission
  • Location: City Hall, Room 312 or
  • Virtual: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85683012296
    • Zoom Meeting ID: 856 8301 2296
    • Phone: +1 646 558 8656 US, or 833 548 0276 US Toll-free
• Monday, March 27, 2023 at 6 PM
  • Host: Smiley Administration
  • Location: Virtual only
    • Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84119813584
    • Zoom Meeting ID: 841 1981 3584
    • Phone: +1 309 205 3325 US, or 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Special Virtual Discussion
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 city’s community electricity program. A second meeting will take place on Thursday, March 23rd at noon. Please go here to sign up.

*Please check back to find out about future Ward meetings.

Watch the overview videos in English or Español. 

The table below summarizes the program’s residential options. For additional details, or for commercial and industrial pricing, see Electricity Options page here.

Notification Letter Sent in Late February – Customers eligible for automatic enrollment in Providence 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 Providence 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

Providence Community Electricity is a municipal electricity aggregation operated by the City of Providence, 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 Providence 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 Providence’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.