Healey promises 'energy affordability agenda' after flap over bills
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s schedule indicates that she plans to make good Monday on a promise she made almost two weeks ago: announcing her plans for keeping energy prices affordable for residents. Following weeks of customer outrage about skyrocketing bills, Healey promised to propose new legislation to bring down costs for ratepayers and develop an “energy affordability agenda.” She didn’t offer details during her speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce but said her plan would spur homegrown clean energy generation and limit future price spikes.At the time, Healey was frustrated with a stopgap measure that offered to temporarily trim utility bills by deferring some fees. “The utilities offered to spread the pain out over the course of the year. That is not good enough. And it’s why I have told the (Department of Public Utilities) to explore every avenue to reduce costs. We need to see real action on this, and we need to see it now,” she said.State-mandated programs, of which Mass Save is the largest, are among the primary reasons gas and electric delivery rates have risen sharply since 2023. A NewsCenter 5 analysis found that electricity delivery rates have risen in excess of 30%. Gas delivery rates are up even more, rising as much as 38% in the same two-year period.Two days after Healey’s remarks, the DPU rejected the size of the proposed Mass Save plan, telling the utilities their customers couldn’t afford the costs. The original plan, to grow the program by 25% to $5 billion, will go back to the drawing board with a $4.5 billion price tag.The $500 million trim means gas and electric customers will be getting money back — likely through reduced rates — since the utilities have been collecting at higher rates since the fall, anticipating the larger new Mass Save plan.Monday, Healey is scheduled to announce her plans during a speech in Lowell. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Lowell City Manager Tom Golden and Lowell Mayor Daniel Rourke are all scheduled to join her for the event at Community Teamwork, an agency that helps to organize resources for low-income people.”Massachusetts will be stronger and more affordable when we can rely on ourselves for energy. We won’t be tied to costly, volatile fuels that spike every winter and ship our dollars out of state,” she said last month.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s schedule indicates that she plans to make good Monday on a promise she made almost two weeks ago: announcing her plans for keeping energy prices affordable for residents.
Following weeks of customer outrage about skyrocketing bills, Healey promised to propose new legislation to bring down costs for ratepayers and develop an “energy affordability agenda.” She didn’t offer details during her speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce but said her plan would spur homegrown clean energy generation and limit future price spikes.
At the time, Healey was frustrated with a stopgap measure that offered to temporarily trim utility bills by deferring some fees.
“The utilities offered to spread the pain out over the course of the year. That is not good enough. And it’s why I have told the (Department of Public Utilities) to explore every avenue to reduce costs. We need to see real action on this, and we need to see it now,” she said.
State-mandated programs, of which Mass Save is the largest, are among the primary reasons gas and electric delivery rates have risen sharply since 2023. A NewsCenter 5 analysis found that electricity delivery rates have risen in excess of 30%. Gas delivery rates are up even more, rising as much as 38% in the same two-year period.
Two days after Healey’s remarks, the DPU rejected the size of the proposed Mass Save plan, telling the utilities their customers couldn’t afford the costs. The original plan, to grow the program by 25% to $5 billion, will go back to the drawing board with a $4.5 billion price tag.
The $500 million trim means gas and electric customers will be getting money back — likely through reduced rates — since the utilities have been collecting at higher rates since the fall, anticipating the larger new Mass Save plan.
Monday, Healey is scheduled to announce her plans during a speech in Lowell. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Lowell City Manager Tom Golden and Lowell Mayor Daniel Rourke are all scheduled to join her for the event at Community Teamwork, an agency that helps to organize resources for low-income people.
“Massachusetts will be stronger and more affordable when we can rely on ourselves for energy. We won’t be tied to costly, volatile fuels that spike every winter and ship our dollars out of state,” she said last month.