The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

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Third-Party Suppliers Continue to Overcharge Massachusetts Electricity Consumers: In 2024, by $81 Million

In 2024, third-party “competitive” electric suppliers increased residential electric rates by $80.7 million, according to data from the Energy...

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Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electricity and the grid Green municipal aggregation

Third-Party Suppliers Continue to Overcharge Massachusetts Electricity Consumers: In 2024, by $81 Million

In 2024, third-party “competitive” electric suppliers increased residential electric rates by $80.7 million, according to data from the Energy Information Administration and Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. 

We are reporting here a continuation of a pattern in which retail electricity suppliers who sign up individual customers greatly overcharge them compared to what the customers would pay if they received supply service from either their utility (Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil) or their municipal aggregation if it was available. 

These companies did this by signing up residential customers, often by promising to lower their electric bill, and then charging their customers an average of 2.1 cents more per kilowatt-hour (kWh) than customers would have paid had they stayed on either their utilities’ basic service rate or their community’s municipal aggregation program (if it had one).

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Energy policy & advocacy Energy efficiency Heating Rhode Island Climate change Action Alert

Our Take on Rhode Island’s Climate Action Strategy

Rhode Island is at a crucial juncture in taking meaningful action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Action Strategy (CAS), which is a plan required of the state under the Act on Climate, is scheduled to be released to the public on Monday, December 15th, and the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory released by the Department of Environmental Management has been updated for 2023. These two reports provide context for where the state’s emissions are and what ought to be done to achieve the 2030 GHG reduction mandate. Prior to the release of the final CAS, the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) – Rhode Island’s interagency organization tasked with coordinating climate change efforts – released a draft executive summary for the Climate Action Strategy which claims that the state will be able to meet the 2030 Act on Climate (AOC) with the current policies RI has on the books, e.g. the Renewable Energy Standard, Advanced Clean Cars II, and Advanced Clean Trucks regulations (currently under litigation), current incentives for electric vehicles and heat pump, etc.

Picture of Tina Munter Tina Munter
Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Green municipal aggregation Rhode Island Climate change

Third-Party Electric Suppliers Have Overcharged Rhode Island Residents $62 Million Since 2017

Most of Rhode Island is served by one utility, Rhode Island Energy, and they have a monopoly over the distribution of electricity (poles, wires, meters, billing), but not over the supply of electricity. This leaves residents of Rhode Island with three choices as to who to buy their electricity supply from: “Last Resort” power from the Rhode Island Energy, their city or town through municipal aggregation (if the community has a program), or from a third-party, sometimes called a competitive supplier.

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Electric vehicles/Transportation

Car Corner: Fall 2025

A lot has happened this year with shifting policy, but the electric vehicle (EV) market has persevered. Incentives play a critical role in making EVs more accessible, and the end of the federal tax credit has caused many EVs to sell fast in recent weeks. Fortunately, the Massachusetts and Rhode Island rebates are not going anywhere in the near term, and several more affordable EVs are set to enter the market this year. Charging infrastructure continues to grow more robust, too. EVs are here to stay, and we hope that you’ll choose to make the switch with us. 

Picture of Caroline Gracia Caroline Gracia
Energy efficiency Heating

How to Choose the Right Heat Pump Installer

We’ve heard from many people that they hope to install heat pumps or a heat pump water heater before the end of 2025 so that they can take advantage of the up-to-$2,000 federal tax credit, which ends on December 31st. And still others are compelled to act because their fossil fuel heating equipment is failing. 

To help our readers speed up their search for skilled installers, here are some tips to help you find a qualified, experienced contractor for your home.

Picture of Loie Hayes Loie Hayes
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Our programs Climate change

Shave the Peak End-of-Summer Trends

This summer, we collected data every day from ISO-New England, the nonprofit Independent System Operator responsible for ensuring reliable electricity delivery across the six New England states. We tracked the forecasted high temperature, the forecasted and actual peak load, the time of said peak, the peak price of electricity and its timing, the CO2 emissions at peak, the output of behind the meter (BTM) solar and its timing, and whether or not we sent out a Shave the Peak notification to our subscribers who receive alerts on when and how to reduce electricity use during times of high stress on the grid. Stay tuned to find out how many Shave the Peak alerts we sent out this summer! 

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker 
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Picture of Maya Mastro Maya Mastro