As an investigation of utility bill cost drivers gets underway, state government has projected that about three-quarters of Massachusetts homes could spend between 4% and 9% less than last year on heating this winter.
The combination of a “slightly milder” winter and the expectation of lower fuel costs spells good news for natural gas, heating oil and propane customers at a time when utility expenses are top of mind for residents. But the Department of Energy Resources’s household heating costs estimate envisions a cost increase of about 6% for homes that use electric baseboard heating due to higher electricity prices this winter.
“Although heating oil, propane, and natural gas prices are expected to be lower compared to last year, many households will still spend more overall because extended periods of cold weather lead to more heating use,” DOER cautioned in its winter heating forecast. “For example, last winter was colder than initially forecasted, which contributed to higher heating bills.”
The forecast was published in November and colder weather since then will influence actual heating bills…