The state’s five natural gas utilities have agreed to reduce average residential gas bills by at least 5% in March and April. However, consumers may not see any long-term benefits from this cut as the utilities can recoup the savings later in the year.
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) faced pressure from lawmakers and Governor Maura Healey after many Massachusetts residents experienced high heating bills. A letter signed by 80 lawmakers criticized the DPU’s previous delivery rate hike, which drove up Eversource customers’ bills by 20-30% last winter. The rate increase was partly due to rising costs for energy efficiency programs and pipe replacement projects.
The colder weather in January caused natural gas usage to rise by nearly 20%, further exacerbating the issue. The recent cut in gas rates is a temporary measure, but it remains to be seen whether consumers will ultimately save money in the long run.
Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/21/business/gas-bills-utilities-cut-massachusetts