Happy Friday! Hope you had a great week.
Here in the Town, we continue to march ahead toward a more sustainable future, even as obstacles appear in our path. Earlier this week we learned that due to volatility in the energy markets, Sustainable Westchester is having difficulty securing a new contract with a fixed rate similar to the ones we have enjoyed for the past six years in the program. Our 100% Green Community Choice Aggregation program will be paused over the summer while Sustainable Westchester watches the energy markets and enters into a competitive bidding process for the next fixed rate contract. Your service will not be disrupted, but customers will be transitioned to ConEd's standard supply and variable rates during the pause, beginning with the first billing cycle after June 30, the end date for the current contract.
Affected participants will receive a notification letter in the mail from Sustainable Westchester in the coming days, with details about the electricity supply service pause. They will also receive a transfer notice from ConEdison indicating that they are receiving the standard electricity supply which is at a variable rate.
There is no action needed from residents to remain in the program when the program restarts. When we have the official re-start date in place, during the month prior, participants will receive a re-enrollment letter with confirmation of their energy supply choice and the new rate. They will also receive instructions on how to change the energy supply option or opt-out of the program before the new rates are in effect.
Residents can pursue their own energy supply if they prefer. However, if a resident elects to sign an agreement with a private Energy Supply Company (ESCO) during the pause period, they will no longer be eligible for Westchester Power and will not be automatically re-enrolled into the program when it restarts.
For more information and to get your questions answered, please join a webinar hosted by Sustainable Westchester on Monday, June 20th at 7 PM: https://tinyurl.com/upperrivertownsjune20. You can also visit www.sustainablewestchester.org/wp/conedterritory to learn more, or email or call 914-242-4725 during the hours of Monday through Friday 9AM-5PM with any questions.
The Town of Ossining was an early supporter of this program, and we eagerly await the return of 100% green energy at fixed rates. We also continue to advocate at all levels for a faster transition away from fossil fuels and support for households during this transition.
To that end, at this week’s Town Board meeting, we heard from student representatives from Sunrise Westchester, a youth climate advocacy organization, which has issued a set of demands for action on climate. We discussed a resolution of support for these demands, many of which align with actions we have been taking here in the Town for many years. As regular readers of the Update know, the Town has received the NYSERDA Clean Energy Community designation, and has made significant progress toward achieving Climate Smart Community certification. We will vote on a resolution at the next legislative session.
This morning, I participated in a Climate-adaptive Design stakeholder meeting, as we continue the project to envision adaptations to protect our shoreline in the face of climate change.
I am very grateful for collaborations such as this one, in which community organizations like Green Ossining partner with municipalities and state agencies to help our communities pursue climate action and resiliency. We will achieve our goals by working together.
On a brighter note, tomorrow is the Village Fair, back in person for the first time in two years! I hope to see you there.
Note that the farmer’s market is cancelled for tomorrow, to make way for the Village Fair. For more ideas for what to do this weekend and beyond, keep reading! We will see you soon - till then, be safe and healthy.
--Dana
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