Massachusetts House Set to Vote on Energy Bill, Cutting Mass Save by $1B

Massachusetts lawmakers are set to make a dramatic change to combat skyrocketing energy bills in the state. Proposed legislation on Beacon Hill seeks to cut approximately $1 billion in charges for energy efficiency programs financed through utility bills.

While the new legislation and similar measures are in response to widespread consumer complaints about high electric and gas bills, environmentalists warn that cutting programs that reduce consumption will only lead to higher energy bills later.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, the House was scheduled to vote on a measure that would have made significant cuts to the Mass Save program, the state's primary method for moving residents off fossil fuels. The legislation would also more closely scrutinize expensive utility projects, directing the state to refund certain fees utilities collect from consumers.

“Energy costs are too high, and Massachusetts residents need relief,” Karissa Hand said to the Boston Globe.

Massachusetts has high utility bills in part because of the additional costs the state carries for energy efficiency programs. The high bills also result from the costs utilities pass on to ratepayers for expensive upgrades to their infrastructure, such as electric power lines and underground gas pipes.

The bill that lawmakers were slated to debate on Thursday does not relate to another one that has contributed to natural gas bills. This state program incentivizes gas companies to repair and replace leaky pipes — even as the state seeks to persuade homeowners to move away from fossil fuels entirely.

According to the Globe, this isn't the first time that money spent on the Mass Save program has contributed to substantial consumer savings — and not only for those taking advantage of the program's incentives for appliances and insulation. A report by the Acadia Center, an environmental organization, found that for every dollar spent on Mass Save, residents earn approximately $2.69 back in benefits. 

The Globe has noted that if the reductions to Mass Save were to pass on Beacon Hill, they likely wouldn't be implemented until late summer.