REVERE, Mass. — Fall hasn’t officially gotten underway yet, but many Bay State residents already have winter on their minds following a startling announcement by National Grid.
The utility company said this week that customers are expected to see a 64 percent increase in their electric bills come the winter season.
What does that look like in terms of dollars and cents? National Grid says the average monthly bill of one of their customers will increase from about $179 last winter to an estimated $293 this year.
In a news release, National Grid said electric bills are expected to jump due to “global conflict,” “high demand,” and “inflationary measures.” They added that the looming price hike was “unforeseen” and announced a plan to launch a “Winter Customer Savings Initiative” to educate customers on how to reduce and manage their energy costs.
“We want to do everything we can to help our customers manage through the months ahead through our Winter Customer Savings Initiative, while maintaining high levels of service to meet their energy needs this winter season,” National Grid’s Chief Customer Officer Helen Burt said. “This includes informing customers that they can ‘shop’ or choose from different energy suppliers, in addition to taking advantage of energy saving programs, including those supported by Mass Save. We believe helping customers take more control over how and what energy they use creates a more equitable and affordable energy future.”
National Grid has about 1.3 million electric customers in Massachusetts.
The price hike is expected to start on Nov. 1.
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