Special to the Independent
As temperatures begin to cool and winter weather approaches, natural gas customers will soon be turning on their heating systems, causing increased usage that will translate into larger bills for gas customers during the winter. Regular rate changes for natural gas customers are scheduled to take place on November 1 as the region transitions from the off-peak summer gas season to the peak winter gas season. This year, Eversource natural gas customers will also notice a redesign of their bill format – reflecting direct feedback from customers and communities – making the bill easier to read and understand.
The new user-friendly bill layout will break down a customer’s total bill into three categories – instead of the current two – to provide the bill in clearer language for customers to gain a better understanding of their charges and the costs associated with those charges. Currently, customers see charges in only two categories, which are “Supply” and “Delivery,” with “Supply” referring solely to the cost of natural gas and “Delivery” referring to everything else. Going forward, “Delivery” will now be clearly displayed as two separate components: “Maintenance and Infrastructure Investment” and “Public Benefits.” Maintenance and Infrastructure Investment are the costs necessary to ensure customers can safely and reliably heat their homes, including equipment, materials, and vehicles, as well as the workers who maintain, repair, and upgrade the system, especially during the cold peak days when customers need it most. Public Benefits are the costs of programs, including energy efficiency and payment assistance, that provide value to customers and the state by helping reduce energy usage and enabling customers to better manage their monthly bills, among other benefits. The redesign also follows direction from the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) earlier this year to include a line item for energy efficiency on bills to increase transparency. Eversource will be providing additional information about the bill redesign directly to customers in the coming weeks.
“We work every day to ensure that our customers can safely and reliably heat their home during the winter, have hot water and cook their food throughout the year,” said Eversource President of Gas Distribution Kevin Kelley. “We take this responsibility very seriously, and it’s critical that we are transparent with our customers about this work and everything else that makes up their total bill. We heard our customers loud and clear when they said their bills needed to be easier to understand, and this bill redesign improves transparency – helping people better understand exactly what they’re paying for with the various rates included in their bills.”
Based on the filings that have been submitted to the DPU, beginning Nov. 1, an NSTAR customer using 126 therms per month will see a total bill increase of $6.22 or approximately 2% in the supply portion of their bill, a total bill increase of $34.47 or approximately 11% within maintenance and infrastructure investment, and a total bill increase of $0.57 or approximately 0% in public benefits. Compared to the average peak season rates for last winter, NSTAR customers using 126 therms per month will see a total bill increase of $41.26 or approximately 13%. Separately, EGMA customers using 127 therms per month will see a total bill increase of $14.87 or approximately 5% in the supply portion of their bill, a total bill increase of $26.65 or approximately 9% within maintenance and infrastructure investment, and a total bill increase of $7.02 or approximately 2% in public benefits. Compared to the average peak season rates for last winter, EGMA customers using 127 therms per month will see a total bill increase of $48.54 or approximately 17%.
How an individual customer’s bill will be affected ultimately depends on their usage and weather conditions. Bill impacts above are based on the average usage during a normal winter, which is 126 therms for NSTAR and 127 therms for EGMA. Due to the much colder temperatures last winter, customer usage increased significantly, to an average of 143 therms for NSTAR and 168 therms for EGMA. This increase in usage ultimately accounted for approximately 40% of the bill increases that all customers saw last winter.
Eversource encourages customers to enroll in one of its payment plans or assistance programs if they need help with their energy bill by calling 866-861-6225 (NSTAR) or 800-688-6160 (EGMA), or online.
• Budget Billing Plans are also available and can help customers avoid seasonal spikes on their energy bill by paying a level amount each month based on their average annual usage.
• A Discount Rate is available to customers receiving public assistance benefits and have a household income at or below 60% of the state median income. These customers may be eligible for a 25% discount on their monthly natural gas bill.
• The New Start Program for NSTAR customers and the Residential Arrearage Management Program (RAMP) for EGMA customers can help income-eligible customers reduce or eliminate their outstanding balance in as little as 12 months when they make on-time monthly payments. Eversource will eliminate or forgive a portion of the total balance enrolled in the program – reducing the amount owed each month.
• Flexible Payment Plans are available to all customers, regardless of income, to pay their past-due balance over a period of time.
• The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a free resource offered by the state to help eligible homeowners and renters pay a portion of their winter heating bills. Customers can apply online.
• The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund provides energy assistance to residents in temporary crisis who do not qualify for state and federal assistance programs. Find your local Salvation Army Corps Community Center to apply.
• Beginning on Nov. 1, Eversource electric customers who use a heat pump to heat all or part of their home can take advantage of a seasonal Heat Pump Rate, which is a new, reduced distribution and transmission rate during the winter months (Nov. 1 to April 30) to help save on winter electric bills.
For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.