effective 7/1/2017
This Customer Agreement for GreenUp Service (“Agreement”) is between People's Power & Light, Inc. (“PP&L”) and you, a customer who has selected PP&L as a GreenUp service provider. PP&L is licensed by the Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”) to offer GreenUp Service in Rhode Island. These Terms of Service govern your purchase of New England GreenStart from PP&L. Please keep a copy for your records. From the time you receive this, you have three business days to change your mind about purchasing New England GreenStart. You may cancel this agreement by calling PP&L’s customer service number 401-861-6111 (toll free in Rhode Island) or by writing to the billing address listed below.
Whom should I contact for more information?
People’s Power & Light, Inc. (“PP&L”)
Two Regency Plaza, Suite 8
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-861-6111 (toll-free in Rhode Island)
Email: info@ripower.org
Web address: www.ripower.org
How will I be billed?
Payments associated with New England GreenStart will be automatically included in your regular monthly electricity bill from National Grid. Payments for New England GreenStart are in addition to your current utility charges and do not in any way affect or replace your obligation to pay National Grid for the services it provides. This means that your total electricity service cost will include your New England GreenStart payments, as well as your National Grid retail delivery service and generation service charges. Payment of all charges, including those associated with New England GreenStart, are payable to National Grid. No interest will accrue on any arrears associated with New England GreenStart. No low-income benefits, if any, will apply to the provision of New England GreenStart.
Taxes and Tax-Deductibility:
You must also pay all applicable federal, state, and local taxes and charges. However, effective July 1, 2006, 100% of your payments for New England GreenStart are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution, if you itemize on your federal and Rhode Island tax return. After each calendar year, PP&L will report to you on the amount of your payments for your tax records.
How will my bill for New England GreenStart be calculated?
As of July 1, 2017, New England GreenStart is sold at a price of 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour (“kWh”). This price will be applied to 30% of your electricity usage. Therefore, total cost for this service will vary from month to month according to your electricity usage. For example, the average New England household uses about 600 kWh/month. The total cost of New England GreenStart for this household would be calculated as follows: 600kWh x 2.2 cents = $13.20.
Will my electricity rates or resource mix change over time?
When you first enroll, and each quarter thereafter, PP&L will report to you the resource mix for New England GreenStart for the most recent four quarters for which data is available. The price and resource mix may change to reflect market conditions such as the availability of new resources. You will be notified in writing of any price increases, or if the percentage of “new” resources decreases below thirty percent (30%), prior to any such change. If you do not wish to pay the new price or accept the new resource mix for New England GreenStart, you may terminate your participation by notifying PP&L at 401-861-6111 or 800-287-3950 x5. The rates for your electricity services from National Grid may vary over time. For more information on these charges, please contact the National Grid customer service department at 1-800-322-3223 or www.nationalgridus.com/narragansett/ for current information about your utility services.
What fuel sources will be used to generate New England GreenStart?
Please see the most recent Energy Source and Emissions Disclosure for information on sources of New England GreenStart, found at www.ripower.org/renewable-energy (and mailed to your quarterly). All of New England GreenStart resources are located within New England. Unless notified otherwise, New England GreenStart will come from qualified “new” electricity generating facilities, such as (but not limited to) wind turbines. "New" renewables are generation facilities beginning operations on or after January 1, 1998.
How will I know that I am participating in the New England GreenStart program?
Once you have started New England GreenStart, National Grid will itemize this service on your monthly bill. People's Power & Light uses the Generation Information System, operated by the New England Power Pool, to ensure that you have received energy from the sources indicated on the disclosure label. This information is also reported to, and overseen by, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. Each quarter, PP&L will send you a disclosure statement detailing the electricity sources and environmental characteristics associated with the electricity you used in the previous quarter.
Are my payments tax-deductible?
Yes – if you itemize your federal tax deductions! People’s Power & Light is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your participation in New England GreenStart allows you to make a tax-deductible contribution towards the development of renewable energy generating sources. Please note that the amount you will be able to deduct will be based upon what you actually pay for New England GreenStart, rather than what you are billed for New England GreenStart. You may track your payments at www.ripower.org by clicking “Members Only” in the top right-hand corner. Regular payments to National Grid for electricity supply and distribution are not tax-deductible.
What is the term of this Agreement? How does this Agreement terminate? If I decide to terminate this Agreement, is there a fee?
As long as you have provided correct and complete information during the application process, and your generation service is provided by National Grid, participation in New England GreenStart will begin within one month of your enrollment. Participation in New England GreenStart will terminate upon the first occurrence of any of the following events: you choose to receive generation service from a competitive supplier; you select a GreenUp program administrator other than PP&L; you terminate participation by notifying PP&L by telephone at 401-861-6111, or in writing at the address for PP&L listed on page 1; you terminate participation by notifying National Grid; you move out of the service territory of National Grid; your distribution service is terminated by National Grid; the PUC or a court of competent jurisdiction terminates the GreenUp program; or if PP&L, in its sole discretion, terminates your participation in the GreenUp program for any reason.
You may decide to opt out of the New England GreenStart program at any time. There is no termination fee for discontinuing participation as a New England GreenStart customer. However, arrearages are expected to be paid in full. If you opt out, you will continue your current status as either a National Grid Standard Offer or Default Service customer. If you decide to opt out of the GreenUp program by contacting either People’s Power & Light or National Grid, the termination will become effective after the completion of your active monthly billing cycle (Note: at least 2 days notice is needed before the start of your next billing cycle to put a cancellation into effect for that cycle; otherwise the cancellation will not go into effect until the billing cycle following it).
Are there any penalties for not paying my New England GreenStart?
It is the policy of PP&L that if you do not pay your New England GreenStart payments for two consecutive billing periods, PP&L, in its sole discretion, may terminate your participation in the GreenUp program. No additional penalties will apply. PP&L reserves the right, after 60 days, to refer any nonpayment matter to an appropriate outside agency for collection.
What other fees apply?
You are not required to make any other payments as a condition for choosing to participate in this program.
Are there any other contract details that I should be aware of?
Limits on Warranty and Damages: You understand and agree that there are no warranties, either express or implied, associated with this offer or the GreenUp program sold here under. PP&L will bear no liability to the customer or any third party for consequential, punitive, incidental, special, or other indirect damages.
Assignment: With the consent of National Grid, PP&L may assign this agreement to another supplier offering service through the National Grid GreenUp renewable energy program. PP&L will provide you with thirty (30) days notice of any assignment. Any such assignment will not materially affect the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Relationship with National Grid: PP&L and National Grid are working together solely for the purpose of offering you the opportunity to participate in the GreenUp program. PP&L is not responsible for National Grid’s failure to deliver electric service to you, or otherwise meet its obligations to you.
Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and PP&L and supersedes all prior oral or written agreements or understandings relating to the provision of GreenUp service to you by PP&L.
Indemnification: You agree that you will be responsible for all damages or expenses that are caused by your failure to comply with this Agreement, and that you will hold harmless PP&L and its representatives for any claims that result, either directly or indirectly, from your failure to fulfill your obligations under this Agreement. This means that you, and not PP&L, will be responsible for paying any claims or damages that are caused by any failure of yours to comply with this Agreement.
Notices: All communications required under this Agreement will be sent to you at the address on your National Grid electric bill. All communications you send to PP&L must be sent to the address listed above.
Dispute Resolution: To the extent that the PUC chooses to exercise jurisdiction, the provisions of Title 39 of Rhode Island Public Law apply to this Agreement. For more information on Title 39, go to http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/statutes/title39/39-1/INDEX.HTM. If the PUC declines to become involved in any disputes involving this Agreement, including any billing disputes, you and PP&L agree to first use your best efforts to resolve any dispute through informal negotiations. The period for informal negotiations will not exceed fourteen days from the time the dispute arises, unless agreed to in writing. A dispute will be considered to have arisen when you send PP&L a written notice identifying the basis of the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved by informal negotiations, you agree to submit the dispute to mediation. You may choose a mediator from a list of neutral and qualified mediators provided to you by PP&L. If you cannot agree to a listed mediator, the American Arbitration Association, Boston, Massachusetts, will appoint a mediator. Once the mediator is appointed, the time of the mediation will not exceed sixty days, unless agreed to in writing. You and PP&L will each pay their own costs of the mediation. If mediation does not resolve the dispute, you or PP&L may file a lawsuit in any court having jurisdiction. You agree that any disputes under this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.