If you live in Massachusetts and have been dreading your winter heating costs, relief is officially on the way—but you need to read the fine print before you celebrate. In a direct email notification sent to customers this week, National Grid confirmed that the Healey-Driscoll Administration has released $180 million in funding to lower residential electric bills for the remainder of the winter. Effective February 1, 2026, residential customers will see a massive 25% reduction in their electricity rates for two months.
While the headline number is a win for household budgets, the mechanics of the deal are more complex than a simple discount. The relief package is actually a hybrid financial structure. It is part grant and part interest-free loan. Here is everything Massachusetts residents need to know about the “MA Winter Bill Relief” program and the surcharge coming in April.
The Winter Bill Relief Breakdown
According to the official communication from National Grid, the relief program is designed to mitigate the “sustained cold weather” that has driven usage and rates higher than they were in 2025. The program targets the peak heating months of February and March 2026. The 25% reduction applies to the total bill. This covers both Supply (the cost of the electricity itself) and Delivery (the cost to bring it to your home).
For the average household using 600 kWh per month, National Grid estimates this will result in a savings of approximately $60 per month. This totals roughly $120 over the two-month period. This credit will appear automatically on your statement as a line item labeled “MA Winter Bill Relief” located within the Delivery Services section. You do not need to apply or enroll. The adjustment is automatic for all residential accounts (Rate R-1).
The Hidden Loan in Your Discount
The most critical detail buried in the announcement involves how this 25% reduction is funded. It is not entirely a gift from the state surplus. The email details a unique funding split. Only 15% of the reduction is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The remaining 10% is simply being recovered later…