Massachusetts Senator Dooner files new legislation over rising utility costs as Governor Healey, legislators, issue letters demanding action by Department of Public Utilities

Boston, MA – February 18, 2025 – Senator Kelly Dooner (R-Taunton) has filed new legislation
aimed at addressing the growing concerns over rising utility costs, particularly those associated with Eversource and other utility providers. The bill seeks to provide immediate relief for residents facing high energy rates while also introducing long-term strategies to ensure fairness and affordability in the state’s energy system.

“This is about protecting our residents from the skyrocketing energy costs that have become
increasingly unsustainable,” said Senator Dooner. “In the face of rising utility rates, it’s crucial
that we take proactive steps to ensure that ratepayers are not burdened with excessive costs,
outrageous fees and that our energy policies are more transparent, equitable, and sustainable.”

Key provisions of the legislation include:
SD 2672

• SECTION 1 – Requires the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to hold at least one
  public hearing and a 30-day comment period before approving any rate increases. This will
  ensure that residents and stakeholders have a voice in rate-setting decisions that directly
  impact their financial well-being.
• SECTION 2 – Caps annual delivery fee and rate increases at 3%, adjusted for inflation, to
  prevent excessive utility cost hikes and protect consumers from unpredictable financial
  burdens.
• SECTION 3 – Establishes a Veteran Utility Rate Reduction Program, which aligns veteran
  discounts with existing low-income utility discount programs, offering much-needed relief
  to those who have served our country.
• SECTION 4 – Creates a Senior Utility Rate Reduction Program, providing discounted
  utility delivery fees for residents aged 65 and older, recognizing the unique financial
  challenges faced by senior citizens.
• SECTION 5 – Repeals certain sections of Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024, which would
  otherwise impose additional costs on ratepayers. These repeals include:
  o Section 4 – Eliminates the Embodied Carbon Intergovernmental Coordinating
  Council and low-embodied carbon material requirements that could increase
  construction and energy costs.
  o Section 5 – Removes mandates for ratepayer-funded electric vehicle charging
  infrastructure, preventing higher utility costs.
  o Section 10 – Eliminates the Intervenor Support Fund, which imposes an
  additional assessment on utilities, shifting costs to ratepayers.
  o Section 11 – Stops increased utility assessments that fund public participation
  programs, preventing further electricity and gas rate hikes.
  o Section 16 – Repeals the expansion of energy efficiency mandates and
  electrification requirements, reducing regulatory burdens.
  o Section 17 – Cancels long-term procurement mandates for energy storage,
  preventing costly contracts that utilities would pass to consumers.
  o Section 98 – Removes the mandate for 5,000 megawatts of energy storage by
  2030, avoiding major cost increases for utilities and ratepayers.
• SECTION 6 – Creates a Special Commission to study delivery fee structures, costreduction strategies, and regulatory reforms, with the goal of improving affordability and
  ensuring fairness in energy pricing across the state.

“While I support initiatives and programs that help our most vulnerable citizens, no Massachusetts resident should have to decide between paying for heating and putting food on the table, “said Dooner. “This legislation is designed to protect families from the surging expenses that have become all too common in recent months, while also creating a more sustainable energy system for the future.”

In addition to the filing of the legislation, Senator Dooner and the Republican Caucus have sent a letter to the Attorney General’s office, urging action to challenge the recent utility rate increases, similar to the steps taken by then-Attorney General Maura Healey in 2017. The letter requests that the Attorney General’s office explore all legal avenues to protect consumers from these substantial rate hikes.

Governor Maura Healey and a list of Massachusetts legislators also sent letters to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities requesting action be taken against the rise in utility costs primarily due to the supply fee.