DALTON, Mass. — The harsh winter conditions have resulted in the need for electric companies to increase their prices and the town's energy program is no different. 

 

Since 2015, the town has had an electric program in an effort to stabilize and make energy costs more affordable. 

 

According to a town press release, through June 2025, residents and small businesses have saved more than $1.7 million in electricity costs compared to Eversource Basic Service. 

 

In November, the town signed a 34-month contract with a new supplier, First Point Power. 

 

The original agreement factored in a cost that was four times ISO New England's initial estimate for the Day-Ahead Ancillary Services Initiative Fee, set at 0.0015 cents per kilowatt-hour, assuming this would be more than sufficient. However, the actual fee has turned out to be significantly higher, Town Manager Eric Anderson said. 

 

ISO New England oversees power distribution for all utility companies. 

 

Taking into consideration the updated fees, starting in April, the rates for the Dalton Community Choice Power Supply Program will be 0.14292 cents per kilowatt-hour for the standard product option, which all eligible customers are enrolled in unless they opt-out. 

 

The optional product rate will be 0.14392 cents per kilowatt-hour, which customers will have to elect into. 

 

The longer the supplier waits to change the rate the more the rates will increase because the ISO New England charges are tied to meter-readings. 

 

Currently, there are more than 2,000 customers taking advantage of the program, however, for a brief period the cost will be about a half cent more than Eversource's Basic Service.

 

However, Eversource's Basic Service has not adjusted its rate yet to take into consideration the increase in costs from winter. 

 

"The state of Massachusetts takes natural gas supply and preferentially services heating customers, not power producing customers. So when it's really cold, they throttle down the electrical producers and make sure they can supply enough gas so individuals don't freeze in their house," Anderson said. 

 

When this happens utility suppliers shut down because they can not use their generators so they bring on more more expensive and "dirtier" generation, such as oil, coal, or fraction from out-of-state. 

 

The further the utility suppliers have to go to get power the more it costs, he explained in a follow-up.