Utility advice

[in-parentheses.livejournal.com]

I'm moving soon, and I want to do the setting-up-utilities thing right. Do I have options other than NSTAR? Specifically, are there any environmentally-friendly options around here? If you use one, what do you think? I'm a renter, so I can't actually install new equipment.

(Please forgive the ignorant tone of the question -- I don't know a lot about this.)

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

I've heard that NSTAR will have a green-up type option to buy green power through them sometime in the next few months (national grid already does this). you're not the only one who's asked recently, so i'll post about it if I hear more.

Dominion isn't very friendly. And with a name like that, who's surprised.

I don't know if there are other options, but I'd suspect not.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

You do have to get your hook up from NSTAR (as far as I know), but once you're with them you can choose different energy suppliers. Some of them claim to be greener than others, but I've never investigated it.

This link from the state's web page (http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocaterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Energy%2c+Fuel+%26+Utilities&L3=Electricity&L4=The+Power+Is+Yours%3a+Electricity+Industry+Restructuring&sid=Eoca&b=terminalcontent&f=dtc_consumer_residential_faqs&csid=Eoca) will get you started: you can also Google

Massachusetts Competitive Suppliers

The NSTAR links are amusing mainly for their poor formatting (One page has all the text red and underlined) and misdirection (it says that competitive suppliers don't want residential accounts, and I can assure you they do).

Bottom line. once you actually sign up for power you'll periodically get mailings from other suppliers asking you to switch. As a renter you can choose one of these competitve suppliers: it is directed at who pays the bills.

[ron_newman]

As a renter and long-time* NSTAR customer, I have never received any advertising from any competing supplier.

* long-time, as in it was called Boston Edison when I signed up with them. There were no other choices back then.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Occasionally I get mail from Dominion about power generated otherwise. No green suppliers yet.