Massachusetts Electric Heating Customers Face Higher Winter Bills

Massachusetts residents who heat their homes with electricity can expect to pay more this winter than last winter, even as the cost of other heating sources declines.

How Many Massachusetts Homes Use Electric Heat

According to the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), roughly 20 percent of Massachusetts homes use electricity for heat. DOER predicts electric heating customers will pay some 6.4 percent more this winter than the previous one.

DOER said residents who use electricity to heat their homes can expect to spend about $900 to keep warm this season.

Why Electric Heating Costs Are Increasing

Sharp spikes in home energy prices last winter led to exorbitant bills, sparking outrage among ratepayers from Boston to Pittsfield and everywhere in between.

While Massachusetts utility companies sought a rate increase this winter, the weather has been a bit warmer than last winter. That has kept demand in check, and some fuel costs have been slightly lower, resulting in savings for many non-electricity heating consumers.

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State House News Service reported that DOER expects heating oil, propane, and natural gas prices to remain lower than last year.

Roughly half of the homes in Massachusetts use natural gas for heat, while about 20 percent rely on heating oil. Another 4 percent of homes use propane.

State Response to Last Winter’s Energy Price Spike

The outrage from consumers last winter led to the Healey Administration providing heating customers with a $50 bill credit for April. Healey has since ordered an investigation into the various fees and service charges that help drive heating bills higher.

Healey has also faced backlash over comments she made several years ago in which she boasted about preventing two pipelines from coming to Massachusetts.