Utilities Seek Higher Electric, Natural Gas Rates
Consumer advocates concerned
Consumers will dig deeper into their pockets to heat their homes this winter, with electricity and natural gas rates set to increase, according to The Eagle Tribune.
Deirdre Cummings, a legislative affairs director at the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, said the state needs to adopt more policies and programs that promote energy efficiency to protect consumers’ pocketbooks.
“Just like we expect snow to fall in the winter, we also expect to pay more for our energy this time of year,” she said. “But when those rate increases exceed typical rates of inflation is when consumers have cause for concern. All too often utilities use our bad weather as an excuse to excessively increase rates.”