Rochester extends community power program for 27 months

The city of Rochester has renewed its agreement with Joule Community Power to extend the Rochester Community Power program for another 27 months, beginning in September.

Rochester Community Power is a community choice aggregation (CCA) that leverages the buying power of a group to help lower energy costs through the use of clean energy sources. The electric rate is fixed for the term of the contract (through November 2025).

The CCA is the default energy choice for eligible residential and small-business customers in the city. Customers may opt out or change their choices at any time, without a fee. Rochester Gas & Electric will be the energy supplier for customers that opt out, with prices subject to market rates.

Since the program launched in September of 2021, the CCA has saved users about $90, city officials said. There are approximately 33,500 residential and small businesses participating in the current program.

The city also spared the environment the impact of an estimated 37,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“We have all seen the volatility in electricity costs across the nation in the last few years and the impact that our energy consumption is having on our environment,” Mayor Malik Evans said in a news release. “Using our collective bargaining power as residents and small businesses to choose green energy sources that make the least impact on our bank accounts and the environment only makes sense.”

Under the city’s default option, 50 percent of the electricity supply is matched by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) provided by New York State renewable power plants. The remaining 50 percent is matched by RECs sourced from other U.S. renewable electricity sources.

Customers also have the choice of switching to a 100 percent New York State renewable fixed rate, a standard fixed rate supply option or opting out from the program all together and having RG&E as the supplier.

Joule Community Power (headquartered in Westchester County) is the program administrator and was selected through a request for proposals in 2021. Joule then brought in Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., of Baltimore as the electricity supplier. RG&E is responsible for delivery, repair services and billing.

The city website has details about the program, including options.

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