Posted onOctober 13, 2025|Comments Off on Energy Com. Info Sessions on Coming Specialized Energy Code – 10/22
From the Medfield Energy Committee –
Medfield Energy Committee Educates the Public about the Specialized Building Code
The Medfield Energy Committee will hold two public forums on Wednesday, October 22nd to discuss a new building energy code known as the Specialized Code. Medfield residents will likely be asked to vote on adoption of the Specialized Code at Town Meeting in 2026, and MEC is continuing to educate the public on this topic. Fifty-five other towns in Massachusetts have already chosen to adopt this code.
The Specialized Code requires new construction, only, to be built to increased energy efficiency standards. It is very important to note that the Specialized Code DOES NOT affect any existing homes, renovations/additions to homes, or historic homes. Under the Specialized Code, new buildings can comply by being built all-electric (meaning no oil, gas, or propane fuel is used anywhere in the home). If a new building’s design includes the use of some fossil fuels for heating, cooking, etc., this is still allowable under the Specialized Code, but the code requires that such buildings be pre-wired for future electrification, and to have on-site solar generation.
The Medfield Energy Committee supports adoption of the Specialized Code, given that it is an opportunity to ensure that new buildings in town are built to the best available energy efficiency standards. Additionally, enhanced state funding is available to towns that have adopted the Specialized Code and fulfilled other requirements, as part of the Climate Leaders Program, the next tier of the Green Communities program. Medfield has already received $666,000 in funding under the state’s Green Communities program, and would be eligible for continued and enhanced funding opportunities as a Climate Leaders community. These grants have allowed Medfield to install energy efficient upgrades in municipal buildings and schools when equipment needed replacing, leading to energy savings and reduced carbon emissions.
The forums on October 22nd will be held via Zoom, and will offer two separate sessions. Session 1, beginning at 5:00 p.m., will be geared towards construction professionals, and will include technical information and time for feedback. Session 2 will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is intended for the general public. The Zoom links for these sessions can be found at the MEC website: https://www.town.medfield.net/2308/Specialized-Code
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Medfield Community Electricity (“MCE”) 1st Year, Midterm Report
What is Medfield Community Electricity?
MCE is Medfield’s electricity supply program designed to provide Town residents and businesses with regulated (DPU and Town oversight) alternatives to Eversource’s Basic Service supply offering and offerings from third party suppliers by leveraging the town’s collective buying power. This program was approved by the Medfield Town Meeting in 2021, approved by the Department of Public Utilities in January 2024 and implemented month end in June 2024. Nearly 170 other cities and towns in Massachusetts, including Millis, Walpole and Westwood have similar programs.
Benefits, in summary
Price stability: contract duration 30 months, June 2024 – December 2026 with a set price.
Eversource renews its Basic Service contract every 6 months with probable rate change at each renewal.
Price competitive: all 3 MCE Plan rates have performed favorably to Eversource’s Basic Service Rate to date, saving subscribers money.
More Renewable Energy Consumption: Under MCE, there has been an increase in percentage of power consumed from renewable sources over that of Eversource Basic Service and State mandate. This has removed carbon dioxide that, otherwise, would have been emitted into our atmosphere, a positive environmental impact.
What are the program options?
3 program options: Medfield Basic, Medfield Standard, Medfield 100
Medfield Community Electricity Program Options
Medfield Basic (Equivalent to Eversource Basic Service)
Medfield Standard (default registration)
Medfield 100
Eversource Basic Service- Residential
Price
$0.1265/kWh
$0.13063/kWh
$0.14108/kWh
$0.14884/kWh
Additional Renewable Energy Content
No additional renewable energy content beyond State requirement
Adds 10% renewable energy (MA Class I RECs) beyond State requirement
Provides 100% renewable energy by adding 37% more renewable energy (MA Class I Recs) beyond what the state requires
No additional renewable energy content beyond State requirement
Program Duration
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
6 Months: August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Enrollment (July 2025)
288
3396
72
615
MCE cannot guarantee savings beyond the current (August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026) Eversource Basic Service 6 month term rate of 14.885 cents/kWh since future 6 month term rates are unknown. 2025 State minimum renewable energy content required of electricity suppliers – 63%
The Eversource Basic Service Rate for August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026 is included in the chart above for comparison with the MCE offerings. All MCE options will recognize more savings in the forthcoming 6 month Eversource contractperiod (August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026). Eversource rates in effect during the MCE program’s first year are as follows (Note: Eversource Small Business Rates have varied slightly from the Residential Rates shown here):
Eversource Basic Service Rates
Term Period
June 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025
Aug. 1, 2024 -Jan. 31, 2025
Feb. 1, 2025 – July 31, 2025
Aug. 1, 2025 -Jan. 31, 2026
Rate ($/kWh)
0.17216
0.15772
0.13241
0.14884
How are the MCE options performing?
Assuming the average residential consumption of 786 kWh/month, $ savings for the period June 2024 – June 2025 follow:
*Most Medfield residents and businesses have a meter read on or around the 23rd of the month. Exact dates are in your Eversource bill.
Small business savings over this period approximate those of residential subscribers.
Subscriber savings (above) have been accompanied by over 3 million kWh of renewable energy consumed in place of more than 2 million lbs of Carbon Dioxide (equivalent to nearly 300 cars per year) that would have been emitted from fossil fuels (https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator).
What will happen after expiration of the current contract in December 2026?
A new RFQ (Request for Quote) will be submitted to Supply providers in the spring of 2026, as was done in March 2024 for the current contract.
The MCE Town Committee (also known as the “CCA”, Community Choice Aggregation Committee), Town Administrator and Select Board must agree to an RFQ response believed to be competitive with market conditions of the time for an extended period, preferably 2-3 years duration, following December 31, 2026.
If you do not participate in MCE yet, how can you sign up?
Eversource Basic Service – You may switch from Eversource Basic Service at any time to an MCE program of choice.
You are under contract with another electricity supplier – You may sign up for the program at any time, but you should check with your current supplier for any cancellation penalties.
To join an MCE program of choice, use the form at electricity.medfield.net or call the supplier, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065.
FAQ regarding the MCE program
Participation is voluntary, customers may opt-in or out at any time, without penalty. Opting-out returns a customer to Eversource Basic.
Customers may switch between any of the 3 program options at any time.
Customers in the Low-Income (R2) rate class continue to receive their current percentage discount on their entire electricity bill. Budget billing customers also continue to receive budget billing for their entire bill.
Customers that receive solar electricity benefits from net metering credits, community shared solar or similar payments, continue to receive those benefits.
To opt-in or out or to switch plans, use the form at electricity.medfield.net or call the supplier, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065.
What changes when someone joins the Medfield Community Electricity program? There are two parts to an Eversource electricity bill – (1) Supply and (2) Delivery. Enrolling in Medfield Community Electricity changes the Supply part of an Eversource invoice only. Eversource continues to provide all Delivery services, which includes responding to power outages, and continues to manage billing and other management functions.
Where does the voluntary renewable energy come from? The voluntary renewable energy (i.e. the amount above and beyond the minimum required by the State) qualifies as Class I. Class I is the State’s term for new, regional renewable energy which, for Medfield, comes primarily from New England wind and solar projects.
For more information about the Medfield Community Electricity program, go to electricity.medfield.net
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Posted onOctober 8, 2025|Comments Off on Massachusetts losing $3.7 billion to Trump policies, per state dashboard
From the Globe –
New dashboard shows exactly how much federal funding Mass. is losing out on under Trump
Many Massachusetts residents are at risk of losing their Medicaid coverage, SNAP benefits, and more under the cuts.
Massachusetts is losing about $3.7 billion in federal funds due to actions by the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress. Suzanne Kreiter/Boston Globe
Massachusetts officials launched a new online dashboard this week designed to clearly show how federal funding cuts are negatively impacting Massachusetts under the Trump administration. All told, the state has lost about $3.7 billion due to President Trump and a Congress beholden to him, according to the dashboard.
Just three months into the new fiscal year, lawmakers learned about a new wrinkle caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill: federal tax law changes within the new law that could remove $650 million in state tax revenue supports that are holding up the $61 billion annual budget.
The sweeping federal legislation, signed the same day as the state budget, could siphon hundreds of millions from Beacon Hill’s coffers, a development disclosed at an economic roundtable. The news is forcing lawmakers to rethink core assumptions and scramble for possible fiscal workarounds. Add a full-blown federal government shutdown to the mix, and the state’s economic footing looks shakier by the day.
The shutdown became official on Wednesday. Federal offices closed. Economic data streams went dark. Gov. Maura Healey didn’t mince words: “It’s terrible for our country.”
She blasted Congressional Republicans for “driving us over a cliff.”
Roughly 45,000 federal workers who live in Massachusetts could be facing furloughs, and state officials began preliminary planning last week to keep key programs afloat while federal dollars are paused.
The U.S. Department of Labor also confirmed that Friday’s national jobs report would be shelved, sidelining data that influences economic, government and business decisions.
On Tuesday, Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder dropped the news about the $650 million exposure that occurs because the state is “coupled” with many federal tax provisions, creating ripple effects.
“This is one of the more challenging times that we’ve faced from a fiscal perspective,” said House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, noting that while several options are on the table, few are ideal.
Budget leaders are now weighing, at a minimum, whether to dip into reserves, revise revenue forecasts mid-year (a decision due by Oct. 15), or decouple state tax law from specific parts of the federal code.
Administration and Finance Secretary Matt Gorzkowicz was blunt: “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and there’s a lot of things we have to consider in managing that.”
Pressed on whether midyear budget cuts might be necessary, Gorzkowicz said simply: “I don’t know.”
The state does $860 million in unallocated funds built into the budget, perhaps with some foresight of what was coming but possibly also due to the common legislative tendency to pass supplemental budgets.
Sen. Michael Rodrigues, however, signaled restraint around the state’s over-$8 billion reserve fund: “We have other tools available. I’d be hard-pressed to suggest dipping into the Stabilization Fund right now.”
I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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