- More than 65,000 Massachusetts households will see winter savings as two electric utilities lower rates for heat pump owners, following last year’s $37 million in total savings.
Winter savings are in store for more than 65,000 Massachusetts households as two electric utilities slash their rates for heat pump owners below last year’s already discounted prices.
Last winter, Massachusetts became the first state to require major utilities to offer a lower seasonal rate for all the electricity used by households with heat pumps, highly efficient systems that can both heat and cool spaces and are essential to weaning buildings off fossil-fueled furnaces. The reduced rates saved these residents more than $37 million in total.
Now, state public utility regulators have approved National Grid’s and Unitil’s proposals for even lower winter prices, to go into effect on Nov. 1. The move, supporters say, makes using a heat pump more affordable and more accurately reflects how these homes contribute to grid-maintenance costs…