Newport 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. Newport City Council approved this program in December 2021.
Important Rate Update
RI Energy has increased its proposed rate since the City sent its Notification Letter. Our Newport Community Electricity rates remain the same. Rates below are for residential customers that will be in effect when the Program launches in May 2023.
Newport Standard: 9.361 ¢/kWh
RI Energy Rate: 10.341 ¢/kWh
Public Meetings
Tuesday, March 28th, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Innovate Newport located at 513 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840. All are welcomed to attend.
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.
Our Electricity Options
The table below summarizes the program’s residential options. For additional details, or for commercial and industrial pricing, see Electricity Options page here.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Newport Standard (for automatic enrollment) |
Newport Basic |
Newport 50 |
Newport 100 |
Rhode Island Energy Last Resort Service Residential |
| 9.361 ¢/kWh Residential | 9.151 ¢/kWh Residential | 10.222 ¢/kWh Residential | 12.321 ¢/kWh Residential | 10.341 ¢/kWh |
|
Adds 5% voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) |
No additional renewable energy |
Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 50% |
Adds voluntary renewable energy (RI New RECs) to total 100% |
No additional renewable energy |
| May 2023 to November 2023 | April 2023 to September 2023 | |||
Notification Letter Sent in Late February – Customers eligible for automatic enrollment in Newport 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 Newport 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
Newport Community Electricity is a municipal electricity aggregation, operated by the City of Newport, 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 Newport 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 Newport’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.