Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Healey-Driscoll Administration is trying to help Massachusetts residents with high energy bills.
On Monday, Gov. Maura Healey unveiled plans to provide some immediate relief for residents after energy bills have skyrocketed in recent months. On top of the state Department of Public Utilities (DPU) lowering gas bills by $95 million, Gov. Healey announced Eversource, National Grid and Unitil customers are getting $125 million in savings next month.
“In April on your electric bill, you will now be getting a credit back of $50. I know that’s not a ton of money compared to what people have been paying, but it is something,” said Gov. Healey at a press conference Monday.
It is part of a wider plan to try to save residents roughly $5.8 billion in electric and gas bills over the next five years. Healey also said DPU plans to create a “first-in-the-nation” discount rate for moderate-income residents, as well as “expand tiered-income discount rates” for lower-income residents.
The Mass Save program, which puts an emphasis on the transition to green energy, has been widely blamed for the steep rise in energy costs. Gov. Healey pushed back on those claims at Monday’s press conference.
“It’s actually served an important purpose,” said Healey. “[In] fact, if we didn’t have Mass Save, our electricity bills would be 14 percent higher.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.