Massachusetts’ Energy Affordability Agenda is Fine, But is Now the Time for ‘Fine’?
How the agenda impacts us.
Governor Healey just rolled out an Energy Affordability Agenda, promising bill credits, gas rate reductions, and expanded energy discount programs to help Massachusetts households save money. It also claims to cut $5.8 billion in energy costs over the next five years by restructuring rates and removing unnecessary charges.
Is it really Major Savin’ (bless the camera angle at the press conference), or not? Let’s take a closer look.
What’s in the Plan?
💡 Immediate Relief (March–April 2025)
$50 electric bill credit for all Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil customers ($125 million total).
10% gas rate reduction for March & April ($95 million total).
📌 What You Need to Do: Nothing. These reductions automatically apply to your bills. Call your service provider if for some reason the credit or reduction don’t appear.
💰 Expanded Discount & Money-Saving Programs ($2.5 billion over 5 years)
The state is expanding discount rates and financial incentives to help people cut their bills long-term:
Low-income electric customers: Savings increase from 32–42% to as high as 71% (starting September).
Low-income gas customers: 25% off gas bills remains in place.
Heat pump users: Save up to $500 per year now (Unitil) and $1,000 per heating season soon.
EV drivers: Get $100–$200 in bill reductions through managed charging programs.
Smart home incentives: $50 upfront & $20/year for smart thermostats; up to $1,500/year for battery storage.
New moderate-income discount rate coming—details TBD.
📌 What You Need to Do: Check if you qualify and enroll at mass.gov/energysavings.
⚖️ Cutting Unnecessary Costs ($2.9 billion over 5 years)
The state is removing fees and price hikes that drive up energy bills:
Ending SREC charges: Solar incentive fees (SREC I & II) phased out by 2028, cutting bills by up to $15–$20/month by 2027.
Reining in Competitive Energy Suppliers: These third-party companies offer alternative electricity supply contracts, often promising savings over the utility’s basic rate, but they’ve apparently cost residents $650 million in overpayments since 2015—state and DPU are looking to regulate or limit their harm.
Lower solar energy costs: New policies aim to save ratepayers $920 million by 2029.
📌 What You Need to Do
1️⃣ Check your electric bill. Look for a section labeled "Supplier" or "Energy Provider." If it lists anyone other than Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil, you’re with a third-party supplier and may be paying more than necessary.
2️⃣ Compare your rate to the utility’s Basic Service Rate.
National Grid Rates: MA-Home Service Rates
Compare your rate to basic service or your town’s plan: EnergySwitch Massachusetts
3️⃣ Decide if you should switch back. If your third-party rate is higher than the Basic Service Rate, you’re overpaying. Call your utility to switch back or check your town’s aggregation program for a better option.
4️⃣ Know the difference between “supply” and “delivery” rates. Supply is what you pay for the electricity itself (which you can shop around for). Delivery is what you pay to the utility to maintain the grid (which you can’t change).
A Fool’s Take: Pros & Cons by Group
🏠 Renters
✅ Pros:
No action needed to get bill credits & rate reductions.
Expanded discount rates could cut energy bills by 71% for some.
Access to smart home savings (smart thermostats, battery storage, etc.).
❌ Cons:
No direct control over heat pump adoption or efficiency upgrades.
If landlords don’t upgrade heating systems, renters miss out on big efficiency savings.
🏡 Homeowners
✅ Pros:
New heat pump & solar savings could reduce winter heating bills.
Easier discount enrollment process for eligible households.
Solar fees being phased out = lower costs for existing solar owners.
❌ Cons:
Upfront costs for efficiency upgrades still high, even with incentives.
Moderate-income discount rate still TBD—unclear who qualifies.
🏢 Landlords & Property Owners
✅ Pros:
Energy-efficient upgrades increase property value.
Expanded financing & incentives make adding heat pumps & solar more appealing.
❌ Cons:
No mandates or requirements to pass savings down to tenants.
Confusing rebate process—many landlords may not take advantage of available funding.
🏬 Multi-Property Management Companies
✅ Pros:
Larger-scale properties could save big on heating & solar incentives.
Discounted rates for tenants = fewer unpaid bills & service shutoffs.
❌ Cons:
No rent stabilization measures—could still lead to landlords profiting off incentives without lowering rent.
Competitive energy suppliers still operating—tenants may still be overcharged.
What Does This Mean for the Clean Energy Transition?
The clean energy transition isn’t just about lowering emissions—it’s about building an energy system that’s stable, affordable, and specifically designed with people and the planet in mind.
The Energy Affordability Plan provides immediate relief and long-term cost reductions, which is good. But it doesn’t move Massachusetts away from fossil fuels fast enough. The state still leans heavily on imported natural gas, and while this plan helps with affordability, it doesn’t fundamentally change who controls energy and how it’s produced.
Expanding efficiency programs, heat pumps, and solar incentives makes sense—it cuts fossil fuel demand and lowers bills over time. But without bigger public investment in renewable energy, storage, and grid modernization, I am still filing this under “Business as Usual.”
Burlington, Vermont, a city of roughly 45,000 people, generates its electricity from 100% renewable energy with actual financial benefits. The state itself is planning to be 100% renewable by 2030. I don’t wanna hear it’s not possible here in Massachusetts. How are we still gonna let Vermont be the cooler state? We are falling behind (all love though).
Massachusetts could go further by accelerating public clean energy projects, strengthening labor protections in green jobs, and actively phasing out fossil fuel infrastructure.
This plan makes energy cheaper in the short term, but affordability alone isn’t enough. If Massachusetts wants real energy security, it needs to own the transition—literally.
✔️ Good News for Renewables:
More solar & storage incentives mean long-term savings & emissions reductions.
Heat pump expansion helps move away from fossil fuel heating.
State pursuing more local energy generation to cut reliance on global fossil fuel markets.
❌ What’s Missing?
No new wind energy commitments (especially after Trump’s offshore wind pause).
Utilities still set the rules—no major regulatory changes to force clean energy adoption.
Slow rollout of clean energy expansion—some benefits won’t be felt until 2027–2030.
Green Dream Steps
Quick recap of what to do next based on your group:
🏠 If You’re a Resident (Renter or Homeowner):
Check your April bill for the $50 credit.
Enroll in energy discount programs at mass.gov/energysavings.
See if you qualify for heat pump, solar, or EV incentives.
Opt out of third-party energy suppliers (if applicable).
🏢 If You’re a Landlord or Property Owner:
Look into heat pump & efficiency incentives to reduce property energy costs.
Ensure tenants are aware of available discounts.
Consider battery storage for long-term energy cost reduction.
🏬 If You Manage Multi-Family Properties:
Investigate ConnectedSolutions for battery storage savings.
Work with tenants to enroll them in discount programs.
Ensure competitive energy suppliers aren’t overcharging tenants.
Remember that people literally live in your home(s), bro
👉 Check your eligibility for savings here: mass.gov/energysavings
What do you think—is this plan enough, or are we still paying too much for too little change? Please let me know in the comments!
And just one more time for good measure: mass.gov/energysavings