Blandford Switches Power Provider, Projects $9,843 in Annual Savings

BLANDFORD — May 6, 2024 — Blandford Select Board votes unanimously to switch municipal electricity supplier, saving nearly $10,000 a year. The board approved a 60-month contract with Constellation Energy at a locked rate of 12.630 cents per kilowatt hour, down from the current Eversource rate of 16.179 cents, based on the town's average annual usage of 277,341 kilowatt hours — cutting the annual bill from $44,871 to roughly $35,028. The board also hired former town administrator Christopher Dunn as a consultant at $50 per hour to prepare the FY25 operating and capital budgets, enterprise fund financials, and town meeting warrant, as the town remains without a permanent administrator. A presentation on the town's MIIA risk management rewards program revealed Blandford completed just two of 65 required activities in fiscal year 2024, earning a credit of only $349; board members directed staff to consult Pioneer Valley Planning Commission about creating a risk management coordinator position. The highway superintendent contract discussion was tabled to the following week.