Massachusetts gas heating customers could see rate increase in 2025 during peak periods if Energy Efficiency Plan approved

Liberty Utilities (New England Natural Gas Company) Corp., d/b/a Liberty, is petitioning for approval by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities its Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan for 2025 through 2027. 

On October 31, 2024, Liberty Utilities (New England Natural Gas Company) Corp., d/b/a Liberty (“Company”), filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities seeking approval of its Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan for 2025 through 2027.

Pursuant to G.L. c. 25, § 21, all Massachusetts electric and gas distribution companies, and municipal aggregators with certified efficiency plans (together, “Program Administrators”), are required to develop, in consultation with the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, plans that provide for the acquisition of all available energy efficiency and demand reduction resources that are cost effective or less expensive than supply. In addition, the Three-Year Plans must achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals set by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 

Statewide, the Program Administrators together propose to invest approximately $5 billion in energy efficiency and decarbonization efforts over the Three-Year Plan term that they state will deliver $13 billion in total benefits to Massachusetts customers. The Company’s proposed Three-Year Plan includes energy efficiency programs for residential, low-income, and commercial and industrial customers. 

The Company’s proposed total budget for the 2025-2027 Three-Year Plan Term is $50,754,006 (i.e., $15,613,079 in 2025, $16,770,380 in 2026, and $18,370,547 in 2027). If the Company’s Three-Year Plan is approved as proposed, the Company states that customers could experience the following bill impacts: 

Residential heating (R-3) customers using 122 therms of gas per month during the peak period could experience a peak monthly bill increase of $17.35 (or 7.57 percent) in 2025; a peak monthly bill decrease of $10.42 (or 4.23 percent) in 2026; and a peak monthly bill increase of $3.04 (or 1.29 percent) in 2027. 

Residential low–income heating (R-4) customers using 110 therms of gas per month during the peak period could experience a peak monthly bill increase of $11.80 (or 7.53 percent) in 2025; a peak monthly bill decrease of $7.09 (or 4.21 percent) in 2026; and a peak monthly bill increase of $2.07 (or 1.28 percent) in 2027. 

Former Blackstone Gas Company residential heating (R-3) customers using 117 therms of gas per month during the peak period could experience a peak monthly bill increase of $16.73 (or 9.77 percent) in 2025; a peak monthly bill decrease of $10.05 (or 5.34 percent) in 2026; and a peak monthly bill increase of $2.94 (or 1.65 percent) in 2027. 

Former Blackstone Gas Company residential low-income heating (R-4) customers using 116 therms of gas per month during the peak period could experience a peak monthly bill increase of $12.40 (or 9.76 percent) in 2025; a peak monthly bill decrease of $7.45 (or 5.34 percent) in 2026; and a peak monthly bill increase of $2.17 (or 1.65 percent) in 2027. 

Bill impacts for C&I customers will vary.

The Department will conduct the following public hearings to receive comments on the Company’s petition, as follows:  

In-person hearing on December 3, 2024, beginning at 7:00 p.m., in Worcester at the Hogan Campus Center, Suite B/C 4th, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610. Interpretation services (Spanish, Chinese [Mandarin and Cantonese], and Vietnamese) will be available at this in-person public hearing. 

In-person hearing on December 4, 2024, beginning at 7:00 p.m., in New Bedford at Keith Middle School, 225 Hathaway Blvd., New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740. Interpretation services (Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese) will be available at this in-person public hearing. 

Virtual public hearing on December 5, 2024, beginning at 2:00 p.m. using Zoom videoconferencing using the link provided below. Interpretation services (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese [Mandarin and Cantonese], Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese) will be available at this virtual public hearing. 

In-person hearing on December 5, 2024, beginning at 7:00 p.m., in Boston at the Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, Boston, Massachusetts. Interpretation services (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese [Mandarin and Cantonese], Haitian Creole, Russian, and Vietnamese) will be available at this in-person public hearing. 

Attendees can join the December 5, 2024 virtual public hearing by entering the link, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89518573642, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. No prior software download is required. For audio-only access to the virtual public hearing, attendees can dial in at (646) 558-8656 or (309) 205-3325 (not toll free) and then enter the Meeting ID# 895 1857 3642. Interpretation services (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese [Mandarin and Cantonese], Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese) will be available over the Zoom platform by clicking the “Interpretation” button on the menu at the bottom of the Zoom application screen and selecting your language (i.e., Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese [Mandarin and Cantonese], Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese). 

If you anticipate providing comments during any of the public hearings, please send an email by Friday, November 29, 2024, to krista.hawley@mass.gov with your name, email address, and mailing address. Any person interested in commenting on this matter may submit written comments no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, December 6, 2024. Please note that in the interest of transparency any comments will be posted to the Department’s website as received and without redacting personal information, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses. Therefore, consider the extent of information you wish to share when submitting comments. The Department strongly encourages public comments to be submitted by email using the methods described below. If, however, a member of the public is unable to send written comments by email, a paper copy may be sent to Mark D. Marini, Secretary, Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.