Electric bills could jump 64% this winter, National Grid warns
Massachusetts electric customers could face a sharp increase in their winter bills, National Grid warned Wednesday. Citing the high price of natural gas used to generate power, the utility said winter electricity prices effective Nov. 1 will be sharply higher than they were this winter. “In total, the monthly bill of a typical residential electric customer using 600 kWh (kilowatt-hours) will increase from $179 in the 2021-2022 winter season, to approximately $293 for the 2022-2023 winter season,” National Grid said. This is an increase of 64 percent from year to year. National Grid says most of the increase has been driven by electricity supply prices and that the company has “worked to keep the delivery portion of the bill essentially flat.”[ads1]; Eversource, the state’s other major electric utility, said it plans to file proposed rate changes with the Department of Public Utilities around mid-November, for changes to take effect Jan. 1. Last winter, Eversource’s proposed increase was around 25%. Prices are also seasonally adjusted for natural gas, and National Grid said the average heating bill for Boston Gas homes will increase $50, or 22%, and the average Colonial Gas home heating customer will see an increase of $47, or 24%, compared to last year’s rates. “With energy costs rising due to global conflict, inflationary pressures and high demand as the winter heating season approaches, National Grid understands the impact this increased financial burden can have on our customers and communities, especially as we all experience increased costs for other goods and services,” the company wrote in a statement. “National Grid buys energy on behalf of our customers from the wholesale market and passes those costs through without a markup or profit, so customers pay what National Grid pays for that energy.” Eversource said the proposed natural gas prices, scheduled to three effective Nov. 1, will increase rates by about 38% or $86 for customers in the former NSTAR Gas service area and 25% or $61 for those in the former Columbia Gas territory. “These increases are primarily driven by today’s high supply costs for natural gas worldwide,” Eversource said. To help customers, National Grid announced a “Winter Customer Savings Ini tiative” which highlights energy saving tips and payment assistance programs. Eversource also shared its link to energy efficiency programs. Massachusetts also offers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible households pay a portion of their winter bills.
Massachusetts electric customers could face a sharp increase in their winter bills, National Grid warned Wednesday.
Citing the high price of natural gas used to generate power, the utility said winter electricity prices effective Nov. 1 will be sharply higher than they were this winter.
“In total, the monthly bill of a typical residential electric customer using 600 kWh (kilowatt-hours) will increase from $179 in the 2021-2022 winter season, to approximately $293 for the 2022-2023 winter season,” National Grid said.
This is an increase of 64 percent from year to year.
National Grid says most of the increase has been driven by electricity supply prices and that the company has “worked to keep the delivery portion of the bill essentially flat.”
Eversource, the state’s other major electric utility, said it plans to submit proposed rate changes to the Department of Public Utilities around mid-November, for changes to take effect Jan. 1. Last winter, Eversource’s proposed increase was around 25%.
Prices are also seasonally adjusted for natural gas, and National Grid said the average heating bill for Boston Gas homes will increase $50, or 22%, and the average Colonial Gas home heating customer will see an increase of $47, or 24%, compared to last year’s rates.
“With energy costs rising due to global conflict, inflationary pressures and high demand as the winter heating season approaches, National Grid understands the impact this increased financial burden can have on our customers and communities, especially as we all experience increased costs for other goods and services,” writes the company in a statement. “National Grid buys energy on behalf of our customers from the wholesale market and passes those costs through without markup or profit, so customers pay what National Grid pays for that energy.”
Eversource said the proposed natural gas rates, scheduled to take effect Nov. 1, would increase prices by about 38% or $86 for customers in the former NSTAR Gas service area and 25% or $61 for those in the former Columbia Gas territory.
“These increases are primarily driven by today’s high supply costs for natural gas worldwide,” Eversource said.
To help customers, National Grid announced a “Winter Customer Savings Initiative” that highlights energy-saving tips and payment assistance programs. Eversource also shared its link to energy efficiency programs.
Massachusetts also offers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible households pay a portion of their winter bills.
