BOSTON — Massachusetts residents who use natural gas to heat their homes will have to pay more money this season.
The Department of Public Utilities approved natural gas rate hikes on Thursday, impacting Eversource and National Grid customers statewide.
About 500,000 Eversource customers can expect to see their bills increase by about 25-30 percent, officials said. That means a $250 bill could become $325.
In a statement, an Eversource spokesperson said, “We appreciate that any increase in natural gas rates is challenging for our customers, especially as we head into the winter season when our customers tend to use more energy to heat their homes. Even if they have never needed assistance before, we want our customers to know that there are programs and services available including our budget billing option that smooths out seasonal spikes by setting a predictable bill amount each month based on our customer’s annual energy use.”
The spokesman noted that Eversoure adjusts natural gas rates twice a year on May 1 and November 1.
Nearly one million National Grid customers are also affected by the rate hikes, with bills set to increase by 11-13 percent. That means a $250 bill could become $282.
The increases, which were approved by the Department of Public Utilities after an extensive review, are effective immediately.
Eligible households can receive financial assistance through the Home Energy Assistance Program this heating season.
HEAP is a free, statewide resource that assists eligible renters and homeowners by paying a portion of their winter heating bills directly to their heating companies from November 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025.
Homeowners and renters can apply for HEAP online.
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