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

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Posts by

Larry Chretien

Executive Director of Green Energy Consumers Alliance

Competitive Electricity Suppliers: The "Clean" Choice That Costs You More

Maybe this will be the last year I have to write about this stuff (more below on why), but I want to report an offer I received from a competitive electricity supplier. First, some context. I live in Quincy, Massachusetts, so I am able to choose an electricity supply service from three options.

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Coming Soon: Massachusetts Senate Energy Bill

Readers of our blog know that we are actively engaged in lobbying for a pro-consumer, pro-environment energy bill this legislative session in Massachusetts. We reported on the House’s version back in February. The State Senate has been working on the bill since then. Here’s a very brief update with an appeal for you to contact your senator.

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Natural Gas-Fired Power Is Not Getting Any Cheaper

Retail electricity prices keep rising everywhere, causing pocketbook anxiety among consumers and political anxiety among elected officials. Some of our public servants suggest cutting back on clean energy commitments to make energy affordable. They are obviously being egged on by disinformation campaigns run by the fossil fuel industry. Nonetheless, it is becoming increasingly clear that New England’s overdependence upon natural gas for heat and electricity is one of the main energy cost drivers (along with overspending on utility infrastructure and their profits).

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Don't Look Up: The Environmental Consequences of Mass. House of Representatives' Energy Bill

The Massachusetts House of Representatives is moving forward once again with an energy bill that could impact affordability and climate progress for years to come. The House Ways and Means Committee is working on a new draft, picking up where the Energy Committee left off in November with House Bill 4744, a truly awful piece of legislation. We believe that Ways and Means will come out with a new version by the second week of February.

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Should Data Centers Receive a Sales Tax Exemption?

Recently, data centers have rapidly become a topic that advocates and policymakers need to reckon with in the clean energy space. Mostly, we’ve seen the data center discussion take place in other parts of the country, where electricity prices are lower and it’s more attractive for data center developers to build. But recently, the discussion arrived in Massachusetts with a discussion of data centers and sales tax exemptions. If you’re a Massachusetts resident, you have an opportunity to make your voice heard until August 25, 2025. 

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