Hudson Valley Community Power (HVCP), a community choice aggregation program (CCA) comprised of six communities in New York’s Hudson Valley, launched on May 14. The City of Beacon, Village of Cold Spring, Town of Fishkill, Town of Marbletown, Town of Philipstown and City of Poughkeepsie formed, HVCP in partnership with Joule Community Power to provide residents and business with more affordable, locally sourced and renewable energy. Joule will serve as Program Administrator. The Town of Red Hook and the Town and Village of New Paltz will join the program in September.
Community choice aggregation is popular on the West Coast and gaining traction elsewhere in the country too. Only seven states including New York have approved legislation allowing for CCA formation. Learn all about community choice aggregation here.
HVCP enables participating communities to leverage the collective buying power of residents and small businesses at large enough scale to dictate the terms of how they buy electricity. The communities have selected 100% renewable electricity as their default electricity supply at a fixed and lower price that is less than they otherwise would pay for standard (non-renewable) supply.
The chart below compares the Central Hudson rate to the HVCP two-year fixed rates for both renewable and standard supply. Both HCVP rates, renewable and non-renewable, are lower than the average weighted monthly variable rate paid by Central Hudson customers in the previous 12-month period (April 2018 to March 2019).
“This program is the result of a competitive procurement process,” said Mike Gordon, Joule’s CEO. “The partnership of communities selected Direct Energy as their default supplier because they were offered a unique combination of competitive pricing, consumer protection, and 100% renewable power.”
Bruce Stewart, president of Direct Energy stated, “When communities and consumers demand innovative products, we’re pleased we can deliver for them. For the first time in New York State, power will be sourced directly from local hydroelectric facilities. This is a cutting-edge achievement.”
Marbletown supervisor Rich Parete said of the program, “We’re excited to move forward. This is a win-win-win opportunity for our residents in that they get a price that is roughly half a penny per kWh less than what they paid Central Hudson over the last year, they’re protected against a volatile market with fixed rates for the next two years, and they are buying electricity generated from only renewable power sources.”
“This is an exciting moment for the City of Poughkeepsie,” said Sarah Salem, Poughkeepsie Councilmember (D-2nd Ward). “The program represents a paradigm shift to a local consumer energy choice system that is ushering in a swift transition to 100% renewable energy for the City of Poughkeepsie and all of our partnering municipalities.”
Eligible residents and small businesses are automatically enrolled in the HVCP CCA program but may opt out with no penalty. Central Hudson remains responsible for delivery, repair, and billing services for all participants. To learn more, please visit www.HudsonValleyCommunityPower.com.
News item from Joule Community Power
Thanks for posting this. HVCP is also offering community solar in tandem with the CCA. By subscribing to a local solar farm, utility customers are guaranteed to save approximately 10% annually on electricity for up to 25 years. Unlike the CCA, this is an opt-in program that requires enrollment. The program, offered through HVCP, is open to Central Hudson customers regardless of whether they participate in the CCA. By participating in both the HVCP CCA and community solar programs, subscribers can benefit from both the CCA’s lower, fixed energy supply rates and guaranteed savings for solar generation. People can learn more or enroll at http://www.HudsonValleyCommunityPower/solar.