Effective 8/1/2011
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 Wind 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 Wind. 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”)
2 Regency Plaza, Suite 8
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-861-6111 (toll-free in Rhode Island)
Email: greenreply@ripower.org
Web address: www.ripower.org
How will I be billed?
Payments associated with New England Wind will be automatically included in your regular monthly electricity bill from National Grid. Payments for New England Wind 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 Wind payments, as well as your National Grid retail delivery service and generation service charges. Payment of all charges, including those associated with New England Wind, are payable to National Grid. No interest will accrue on any arrears associated with New England Wind. No low-income benefits, if any, will apply to the provision of New England Wind.
Taxes and Tax-Deductibility:
100% of your payments for New England Wind are federally tax-deductible as a charitable contribution if you itemize on your tax return. After each calendar year, PP&L will report to you on the amount of your New England Wind payments for your tax records.
How will my bill for New England Wind be calculated?
As of August 1, 2011, New England Windis sold at a price of 3.8 cents per kilowatt-hour (“kWh”). This price will be applied to 100% 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 Wind for this household would be calculated as follows: 600kWh x 3.8 cents = $22.80.
Will my electricity rates or resource mix change over time?
On a quarterly basis, PP&L will also provide a Disclosure Statement at www.ripower.org/renewable-energy, which documents the price, fuel source, resource mix, emissions, and labor information on the energy you have chosen. The resource mix reported for New England Wind will be for the most recent four quarters for which data is available. You will be notified in writing of any price increases, or if the percentage of “new” wind resources decreases below one hundred percent (100%), thirty (30) days prior to any such change. If you do not wish to pay the new price or accept the new resource mix for New England Wind, you may terminate your participation by notifying PP&L at 401.861.6111.
The rates for your electricity services from National Grid may vary over time. For more information on these charges please contact the National Grid’s customer service department at 1-800-322-3223 or log on to http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/for current information about your utility services.
What fuel sources will be used to generate New England Wind?
Please see the most recent Energy Source and Emissions Disclosure for information on sources of New England Wind. All of New England Wind resources are located within New England. Unless notified otherwise, 100% of New England Wind will come from qualified “new” wind electricity generating facilities. "New" renewables are generation facilities operating on or after January 1, 1998. See the most current disclosure label at www.ripower.org/renewable-energy.
How will I know that I am participating in the New England Wind?
Once you have started New England Wind service, a second page on your National Grid bill will show your monthly billing for the service. People's Power & Light uses the Generation Information System, operated by the New England Power Pool, to purchase and retire renewable energy certificates from the sources indicated on the disclosure label. This information is also reported to, and overseen by, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.
What is the term of this Agreement? How does this Agreement terminate? If I decide to terminate this Agreement, is there a fee?
Participation in New England Wind will begin within one month of your enrollment. Participation in New England Wind 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 above; 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 Wind program at any time. There is no termination fee for discontinuing participation as a New England Windcustomer. However, arrearages are expected to be paid in full. If you opt out of PP&L’s GreenUp offering, 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 program by contacting either PP&L or National Grid, the termination will become effective after the completion of your active monthly billing cycle, as long as you cancel at least 2 days before the end of that billing cycle (if you do not cancel at least 2 days before the end of your active monthly billing cycle, the termination will become effective after the following billing cycle).
Are there any penalties for not paying my New England Wind?
It is the policy of PP&L that if you do not pay your New England Wind 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/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.