Massachusetts mayors urge state leaders to take actions to rein in energy costs

James Van Nostrand
Chair, Commonwealth Utilities Commission
Department of Public Utilities
One South Station, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110

Dear Chair Van Nostrand,

In coalition, as elected leaders of our Commonwealth’s cities, we write to convey our deep concern regarding increased energy costs experienced across the state. We share in the frustration and concern expressed by Governor Healey, legislators, and residents of Massachusetts regarding the significant increases to supply rates and delivery costs recently applied to electric and gas bills.

All across Massachusetts, working families struggle to balance the rising costs of basic needs, including housing, food, and transportation. Now, our residents face exorbitant energy utility costs far beyond what they typically budget for each month. For our most vulnerable neighbors, this unexpected increase to energy costs this winter is untenable. These increased costs — and the collective failure to adequately educate and prepare customers ahead of time — must be addressed.

We fully recognize the recent action by the Department to direct utility companies to reduce rates by at least 5%. We further appreciate the DPU’s directive to amplify efforts to inform residents of budget billing programs, as well as the wise consideration to shift peak period delivery costs to off-peak seasons. However, these actions are just a start to provide necessary relief to residents, and more must be done to remedy what is forecast to be a growing problem in the coming years.

We strongly urge the Department to use every tool available to immediately reduce energy costs beyond the baseline 5% reduction and establish reasonable rates that can be maintained within a sensible range in the coming years.

In a stressful time for residents, it is essential for the state to play a supportive and stabilizing role. Reining in energy costs will be critical to the public’s overall trust in our gas, electric, and energy services and the success of our clean energy initiatives as a Commonwealth.

As mayors of cities all across Massachusetts, we feel the weight of this crisis in our communities and we urge DPU to provide further relief to residents through bold action.

Sincerely,
Mayor Michael Nicholson
Gardner
President, Massachusetts Mayors Association

Mayor Christopher Johnson
Agawam

Mayor Kassandra Gove
Amesbury

Mayor Nicole LaChapelle
Easthampton

Mayor Carlo DeMaria
Everett

Mayor Paul Coogan
Fall River

Mayor Sam Squailia
Fitchburg

Mayor Charles Sisitsky
Framingham

Mayor Greg Verga
Gloucester

Mayor Ginny DeSorgher
Greenfield

Mayor Daniel Rourke
Lowell

Mayor Jared Nicholson
Lynn

Mayor Gary Christenson
Malden

Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn
Medford

Mayor Jen Grigoraitis
Melrose

Mayor Jon Mitchell
New Bedford

Mayor Sean Reardon
Newburyport

Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra
Northampton

Mayor Ted Bettencourt
Peabody

Mayor Peter Marchetti
Pittsfield

Mayor Patrick Keefe Jr.
Revere

Mayor Dominick Pangallo
Salem

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne
Somerville

Mayor Domenic Sarno
Springfield

Mayor William Reichelt
West Springfield

Mayor Michael McCabe
Westfield

Mayor Michael Concannon
Woburn