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

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Rising Fuel Prices Make Mass Save More Important Than Ever

In the Bay State, the legislature is grappling with the question of how much to spend on the efficiency program known as Mass Save. This blog is...

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Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Heating Action Alert

Rising Fuel Prices Make Mass Save More Important Than Ever

In the Bay State, the legislature is grappling with the question of how much to spend on the efficiency program known as Mass Save. This blog is mostly about that debate and how it affects about 20 percent of the homes in Massachusetts heated by oil, but the basic point being made here applies equally to the other New England states: state energy efficiency programs are our best defense against the harsh and frequent vicissitudes that plague the oil market.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien 
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Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Energy efficiency Action Alert

Save the Jobs at Mass Save

There’s a lot at stake in the negotiations between the Massachusetts House and Senate over energy affordability legislation. Each branch has passed its own version, and now three members from each side are meeting to reconcile differences in a conference committee. It is expected that they will come out with one final product before Election Day in November. We have written a lot about the bills each side has passed, as well as the affordability offered by Governor Maura Healey in the spring of 2025.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electricity and the grid

Securitization Can Lower Electricity Bills

When an investor-owned utility, like National Grid or Eversource, builds an electric substation or makes some other infrastructure investment, it takes on debt to do so and then pays off that debt over time through revenue raised from ratepayers' bills. Before it is paid off, utilities use a mix of low-interest bonds and more expensive equity funding from their shareholders to finance their debt. This use of high-cost equity financing sends money to utility shareholders (which encourages people to invest in the utilities) but burdens ratepayers with higher bills.

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Heating Rhode Island Phasing out fossil fuels

Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission Made Some Good Calls

After a several-month process, on Friday, August 21,  the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) made several decisions in response to a rate increase request from Rhode Island Energy (RIE). This rate case was primarily about what RIE would charge for distributing electricity and gas (think poles, wires, and pipelines). It did not affect the supply of gas or electricity. Overall, the decisions are good for ratepayers and will support the Ocean State’s efforts to comply with the 2021 Act on Climate.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien 
 and
Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Climate change Action Alert

Proposed Changes To Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Rebate Program

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) recently proposed changes to the structure of the Massachusetts rebate program for electric vehicles (EVs), MOR-EV. You can share your feedback on the proposed changes with DOER in writing or by attending a virtual or in-person public hearing. Here are all the details!

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Climate change

It Pays to Plug In Your EV: New Vehicle-To-Grid Program In Massachusetts

Some electric vehicle (EV) owners in Massachusetts with eligible vehicles will soon be able to receive compensation for plugging in their EVs and sending electricity back to the grid. The process of sending electricity back to the grid from your EV, also known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), can help EV drivers earn extra money from their vehicles while reducing stress on the grid during peak energy demand days. This V2G opportunity will be administered through electric utility companies National Grid and Eversource through their ConnectedSolutions program.

Picture of Suriya Selvakumar Suriya Selvakumar
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Climate change

Breaking Down Governor Healey’s Latest Energy Letter

On Friday, July 31, Governor Healey held a press conference announcing that she had sent a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate about her priorities for energy legislation. The House and Senate have each passed energy bills and have recently formed a conference committee to hash out differences. Their work may take several weeks as there are dozens of issues to resolve. In this context, the governor’s letter could be a significant factor, and we think it’s worth a few minutes of your time.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien