City hears energy-aggregation update; residents saved estimated $48,000 in first two months

Concord Energy Services updated the council on Summit's participation in the Garden State Community Energy Cooperative during the June 16 meeting.

Lisa Hibb, Director of Sales and Project Management for Concord Energy Services, told council the cooperative ran an auction that resulted in a 19-month contract with Direct Energy Services beginning with March 2026 meter reads. The standard program rate is 14.46 cents per kilowatt-hour; a voluntary 100% renewable option is 14.61 cents per kWh. These prices compare favorably to JCP&L's basic generation service, which the presenter cited as 15.6 cents per kWh at the time of the auction.

Hibb said participating Summit households (7,647 eligible accounts) realized estimated collective savings of more than $48,000 in the program's first two months and that the average household saved about $9 per month. She reported an opt-out rate of about 23 percent (1,608 accounts opted out; 38 filed permanent opt-outs) and explained opt-out and permanent opt-out procedures for future program cycles.

Council members asked practical questions about opt-out logistics and the program's protections (consolidated billing by the supplier, returned mail and utility rejections that remove accounts per regulation). Hibb said residents may opt back in during the contract term at no cost and that the city will be asked to complete a participation form for 2026' 2027 activity.

The update is informational; council did not take a separate vote on the program at the meeting. Residents with questions were directed to the city website and Concord's customer service.