Gov. Maura Healey announced a $50 credit on utility bills in Massachusetts.
Another phase of Governor Maura Healey's plan to bring down energy costs was announced Monday and includes a credit on next month's electric bills.
Healey previously promised to take action after signing an executive order to lower home heating bills.
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Speaking Monday at the Community Teamwork Building in Lowell alongside Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, the governor announced that Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil electric customers will receive a $50 credit on their bills in April as a form of immediate relief.
The state is also working with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to address the affordability crisis by looking at energy suppliers, some of which the administration says are overcharging customers and violating consumer protection laws.
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“Our agenda includes historic actions. We need to address competitive energy suppliers that have overcharged residents outrageous sums. We’re launching a first-in-the-nation middle-income rate. And we need to get out of this cycle of costly swings in prices every winter," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper.
Additionally, the state will work with utilities to eliminate unnecessary extra charges on bills, though Healey did not say specifically which charges they hoped to eliminate. Officials said they will go item by item to weigh the benefits and costs to see what can be reduced or cut.
DPU has also been tasked with expanding discount programs that can benefit the middle class, which would be a first-in-the-nation initiative, according to the Healey administration.
The agency is already working with Eversource and Unitil on tiered discount rates for lower-income customers, similar to a program already available to National Grid customers.
Another aspect of the plan will focus on expanding heat pump rates, with a proposal that could save heat pump customers up to $1,000 over the course of a winter.
The governor also hopes to reduce volatility in utility bills with more transparency about the process, and by setting fixed prices through contracts for clean energy so customers know what to expect to pay.
"We will use every tool we have to help make sure families and businesses can afford to heat their homes and keep the lights on. In the coming weeks, I also will file an energy affordability and independence bill to explore new ways we can make Massachusetts more affordable," Healey said Monday.
Some of the money will come by examining existing programs to determine which are most necessary and which can be accelerated or eliminated to bring money back to consumers. The plan is expected to produce $5.8 billion in savings over the next five years.
Part of the larger plan, Healey said, is to focus on making Massachusetts more energy-independent. The governor expressed concerns about federal actions, including tariffs, that could further impact the cost of utility services.
Last Wednesday, Healey announced to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce that she would file an energy affordability and independence bill to address the higher-than-normal utility bills this winter. The governor said Monday she will file a bill in the coming weeks to further these efforts.
These announcements come as energy customers grappled with skyrocketing bills this winter, the prices so high that DPU ordered utilities to reduce bills by 5% and defer charges to less heat-reliant months.
