Breaking Down Your Electric Bill Charges
Last winter, the rising cost of energy bills was a major concern for many of my constituents, including working families, retired individuals on fixed incomes, and small business owners. This financial burden has become increasingly significant. In February, I joined many of my Senate colleagues in calling on Attorney General Campbell and the Department of Public Utilities to take immediate action to reduce the financial strain on ratepayers.
Parallel to this growing pressure and legislative focus, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced its Energy Affordability Agenda in March and later introduced legislation in the form of the Energy Affordability, Independence & Innovation Act in May. I was pleased to see that Governor Healey’s legislation would phase out the Alternative Portfolio Standard (APS) charge, which costs ratepayers up to $60 million per year – which overlaps with my sponsored bill, S.2268 - An Act Relative to Alternative Portfolio Standards.
As colder weather approaches once again, my team has prepared the presentation below, “A Deep Dive into an Electric Bill", to explain the various charges and factors that influence our state's electric bills. I hope this presentation serves as a tool to provide clarity on the statutory and regulatory framework that determines energy rates — keeping in mind that many of these charges are being reviewed as the Healey-Driscoll administration recently tasked the Department of Public Utilities to launch the first-ever comprehensive review of rates and charges to lower gas and electric costs – including the Advanced Portfolio Standards program charges.
If you have any questions, please reach out to my Environmental Policy Adviser, Meghan Cerino (meghan.cerino@masenate.gov).
Interested in learning more about my policy focus on reducing energy rates while transitioning to a clean energy future?
Learn about my sponsored bills supporting the expansion and integration of distributed energy resources, reducing the need for costly spending on fossil fuel infrastructure – one of the components that drive up residents’ electric bills. These bills include:
S.2269 - An Act Facilitating Distributed Energy Resources in the Commonwealth
S.2270 - An Act Maximizing and Optimizing Small-Scale Assets in Communities
With Massachusetts’ record-high utility bills and growing electricity demands, building out distributed energy resources including local solar is a proven, effective way to lower costs and provide more flexibility for the grid.
