Massachusetts residents are getting some relief from high energy prices. Gov. Maura Healey announced that most customers will see a $50 discount on their electricity bills.

"We're taking steps today to lower their bills and to lower what they owe," Healey said. "We got the utilities to lower and to provide a discount on everybody's bills."  

Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil customers will receive the reduction as a credit in April. 

Where is the money coming from?

It'll cost more than $125 million to give a $50 discount to Massachusetts electricity customers. The governor's office said the money is coming from a "clean energy development" fund.

"As residents face rising energy bills, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is returning a portion of this money back to ratepayers," the governor's office said in a statement.

Healey said she understands it is not a lot of money for residents, but added, "It is something. And every dollar counts."  

"Everybody has got to give. Everybody has got to work. And I have been hard on the utilities in this moment," Healey said when asked about how the energy companies felt about the bill reduction.

"I think the utilities heard the governor loud and clear," said Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. "They're coming to the table and helping us think about different ways to reduce cost."

Other discounts for residents

Tepper said that hydropower will be introduced to Massachusetts this year, which will take more money off bills. Healey also announced that Massachusetts will be the first state to offer discounts for middle-class residents, which will help them save $2.5 billion over the next five years.

They will also review extra charges from utility companies on bills. She said they will ask the utility companies to remove any extra charges that are not absolutely necessary while people are struggling.   

Affordable housing activist and Archdiocese of Boston Mary Wambul said Monday's announcements represented the first time the state has prioritized affordability and climate goals.  

"The cries of those who cannot afford were finally heard, and that's a big deal for me," said Wambul.

Healey said her plan will save residents around $6 billion over the next five years. Her full energy bill will be filed in the following weeks.

Eversource and National Grid customers can still expect to see 10% cuts to their gas bills in March and April, which was introduced in February.  

High energy bills

Residents across Massachusetts have seen high energy bills over the last few months. One Massachusetts resident's bill went up by over $300 from 2023 to 2024. She told WBZ-TV that she would have to buy less food to afford her energy bill.

Healey urged the Department of Public Utilities to rethink approved rate hikes from November and bring down prices for customers in Massachusetts. The department announced a $500 million reduction in the Mass Save budget, which residents pay for with the "energy efficiency charge" on electric bills. That cut will also help reduce residents' bills.

Wambul said she wants affordable bills but not at the expense of programs like Mass Save.

"You want Mass Save to be funded because you contributed to it in the past, and others benefited. And now it's my turn to benefit," she said.