BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced new actions to help Massachusetts families lower their heating and electric bills this winter.
Governor Healey has declared a State of Energy Emergency and, through an Executive Order, is expanding eligibility for home heating assistance and removing charges from electric bills. This includes creating a new home heating assistance benefit for approximately 50,000 middle class households who rely on heating oil that previously did not qualify for existing assistance programs, as well as increasing heating assistance for approximately 156,000 low-income households as part of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). The Governor will also eliminate the SMART program charge on residential electric bills for three months and cut the Alternative Portfolio Standard by 50 percent this winter. Overall, this plan will lower energy bills for approximately 85 percent of ratepayers. More information can be found at mass.gov/heatinghelp…