Fall River Rep. Silvia Says ‘People Can’t Afford’ High Energy Costs

Fall River Democratic State Representative Alan Silvia said the gas and electric bills his constituents are facing are "terrible" right now, and he's calling on his colleagues on Beacon Hill to take action.

"The people are stretched," Silvia told me.

State House News Service reports, "Dozens of state representatives huddled privately" this week for "energy policy talks" they hope will lead to "an affordability bill" to address high energy costs.

They conceded it could be weeks before they come up with something.

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Rep. Silvia told SHNS, "I want us to get back to ensuring that people have lower gas and electric bills, because it's terrible right now. I represent one of the poorest districts in the Commonwealth, and they're suffering with increased energy bills."

Silvia said the median income in Fall River is $34,000. "These people can't afford any more, it's painful for them," he said.

Climate Laws With Unrealistic Goals

In 2021, Governor Charlie Baker signed climate legislation into law that requires Massachusetts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and to reduce emissions by at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

Silvia told me those goals are "not realistic."

The Commonwealth is encouraging residents to abandon fossil fuels in favor of more expensive electric heat and is promoting the installation of electric heat pumps among homeowners.

Affordability Still an Issue for Residents

But Silvia said many residents, including elderly homeowners, "can't afford to put a pump in." Surcharges to pay for clean energy policies have become burdensome for ratepayers.

"Mass Save has got to be revamped," Silvia said. "There has got to be an adjustment made."

Investigation into High Energy Prices

The Department of Public Utilities recently launched an investigation into the high cost of energy. Electric heating customers are expected to pay more to heat their homes this winter than those who heat with other forms of energy.

"I'm not concerned about the environment. It gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer," said. "Everyone else in the world is burning coal, including China."

Silvia believes Massachusetts needs to rethink its energy strategy. "We've done so much to hurt ourselves in recent years, closing Brayton Point, no more nuclear power," he said.

Healey Not Giving Up

Governor Maura Healey, who boasted of stopping natural gas pipelines from entering Massachusetts, believes the Commonwealth can meet the guidelines established by the 2021 law while lowering energy costs for ratepayers.

Listen to Rep. Silvia on The Barry Richard Show