Roll Back The Rate Hike

On September 16, National Grid, the largest electric utility in Massachusetts filed a 37% rate increase with the Department of Public Utilities. Other large utilities, such as NStar, Unitil and WMECO are expected to do the same.

I support the roll back of this massive rate increase and demand environmentally sustainable energy policy in Massachusetts.

The electric rate hike is set to take effect on November 1st, 2014. This increase is unfair, unwarranted and designed to create false demand for new gas infrastructure.

UNFAIR: The increase will hurt low-income families. It will harm small and large businesses and hamper the state’s economic recovery. Is this rate hike truly justified?

UNWARRANTED: Gas supplies are at an all time high, while prices remain low. Meanwhile, the electric companies efforts to promote energy efficiency and conservation have lagged.

FALSE DEMAND: The rate hike raises the specter of what State Representative William Pignatelli has suggested may be, “corporate collusion,” holding citizens hostage to gain acceptance for costly, environmentally destructive natural gas infrastructure projects, such as the controversially proposed Tennessee Gas Northeast Direct pipeline.

Tell the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to roll back the rate increase. The long-term solution for preventing volatile price spikes and halting climate change is investment in renewable energy. It is time to democratize energy policy in the Commonwealth, making it clean, green and fair.