Welcome!

Welcome to Salem PowerChoice, a City electricity program designed to make increased renewable energy available to City residents and businesses. Salem PowerChoice gives electricity customers in Salem a City-vetted alternative to National Grid’s Basic Service and to other electricity supply offers in the marketplace, access to cleaner electricity, and long-term, stable pricing (though savings compared with National Grid’s Basic Service cannot be guaranteed).

Cleaner electricity and consumer-friendly choices

You may choose between three options in Salem PowerChoice:

  1. PowerChoice Standard – 11.317 ¢/kWh: Provides electricity with an additional 15% from “premium” renewable sources in the New England region, over and above the minimum amount required by state law. Standard is the default program offering, which means new participants will be automatically enrolled in Standard if another option is not chosen.
  2. PowerChoice Plus – 13.709 ¢/kWh: Provides electricity that is 100% from “premium” renewable sources in the New England region. By opting up to PowerChoice Plus, you increase the demand for renewable energy produced in New England, which drives the development of new renewable energy projects on the New England power grid.
  3. PowerChoice Basic – 10.750 ¢/kWh: Provides only the minimum amount of your electricity required by law from renewable sources, but it is the least expensive option in the program.

Graphic showing three options, their renewable energy content, and their prices.

Learn more about your options in the program.

 

How to participate

All new electricity accounts in Salem will be automatically enrolled in Salem PowerChoice on a periodic basis and after receiving a notification letter from the City. You may also choose to enroll online or with a phone call. Learn more.

Compare the cost

Use this online calculator to compare the program price with the most recent 12-month average of National Grid’s Basic Service prices and to see the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by participating in Salem PowerChoice. Or compare program prices with National Grid’s current 6-month Basic Service price.

How it works

A municipal electricity aggregation is a group electricity purchasing program. Participating in Salem PowerChoice will change your electricity supplier and the price National Grid uses to calculate the supply charges on your electricity bill, but participating will not replace National Grid as your electric utility. You will continue to call National Grid if your power goes out, and you will continue to receive your electricity bill from National Grid. If you are eligible for a low-income discount, you will continue to receive that discount with no change. Learn more.

Diagram describing how supply works without Salem Power Choice. Diagram describing how supply works with Salem Power Choice.

Example National Grid bill

Salem PowerChoice is integrated into your existing National Grid electricity bill.

View an example National Grid bill to see:

  • Where Salem PowerChoice appears on the bill
  • How to use your bill to figure out in which program option you are enrolled

Savings cannot be guaranteed

Please note that, while Salem PowerChoice offers the potential for savings when compared with National Grid’s Basic Service price, there is no guarantee of savings. This is because National Grid’s prices change every 6 months for residential and commercial customers and every 3 months for industrial customers, and their future prices are unknown.

Protect your electricity account number

National Grid will never knock on your door or call you to talk about your electricity bill.
Only provide your electricity account number if you are ready to change your electricity supplier.