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

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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...

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Electricity and the grid

Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Heating Phasing out fossil fuels

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).

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels

Earth Day Victory: The Courts Side with Clean Energy

On this Earth Day, we’re proud to be celebrating a legal victory that will help secure a clean energy future.

On April 21, Judge Denise Casper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted a preliminary injunction in favor of a national coalition of wind and solar organizations, including Green Energy Consumers Alliance.

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electricity and the grid Phasing out fossil fuels

Who Pays For The Everett Marine Liquified Natural Gas Terminal?

Liquified natural gas (LNG) terminals are large pieces of infrastructure that can either turn pipeline natural gas into a liquid to move onto ships or turn liquified natural gas into a gas to put into a pipeline. They have recently made national headlines because the buildout of LNG export terminals has allowed the US to export more natural gas to the rest of the world, which in turn has led to higher domestic natural gas prices.

Uniquely for the mainland United States, New England’s LNG facilities are primarily used to import, not export, natural gas. This is because the region’s position at the end of the national gas pipeline system means that pipeline gas alone cannot meet the region’s demand during cold snaps. That is where the Everett Marine Terminal (EMT) comes in.

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Electricity and the grid

New Managed Charging Program For Eversource Customers

Heads up to Eversource electric customers in Massachusetts! If you have an electric vehicle (EV), you can now enroll in a new managed charging program offered by Eversource and earn rewards for charging off-peak. Eversource proposed this program way back in December 2024 as part of a mid-term modification of its current EV program (we wrote about this in February 2025), and the DPU issued its order in October 2025. Now, the program is finally live.

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Climate change

How Renewable Energy Lowers the Price of Electricity on the Wholesale Market

Renewable energy offers several benefits, from public health to energy independence. One of the most powerful advantages, however, is its ability to lower the price of electricity on the wholesale market. This effect is called price suppression, and it’s why renewable energy is key to energy affordability.

Picture of Becca Miller Becca Miller
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Heating Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels Action Alert

Newest Energy Bill Out In Massachusetts: Call Your Rep!

The House Ways and Means Committee has just put out a new version of their energy bill, H.5151, which is expected to be voted on by the full House this Thursday. This bill, while a massive improvement over what left the House Telecommunications Utility and Energy Committee in November, is still a mixed bag. Though it removes many of the previous bill’s worst provisions and improves consumer protections for electricity customers, it would still impose draconian cuts on the Mass Save program. Yet again, we need you to take action by calling your representative!

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien 
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Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Climate change

Green Energy Consumers Joins Lawsuit to Stop Unlawful Federal Actions Against Wind & Solar

On January 12th, Green Energy Consumers joined a national coalition of regional wind and solar organizations, seeking immediate relief from the Trump administration’s unlawful federal permitting actions that violate the Administrative Procedure Act and arbitrarily and discriminatorily make wind and solar development effectively impossible throughout the country. These arbitrary and capricious actions strike at the heart of New England’s plans to expand the accessibility of affordable clean power. With household electricity bills continuing to sharply rise across the country, consumers should not be barred by the federal government from access to renewable energy.

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
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 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