There’s a major temporary utility bill relief program in Massachusetts for the winter of 2026, announced by Governor Maura Healey in late January. It provides reductions on residential electric and natural gas bills specifically for February and March 2026, but there is a catch.
Residential electric customers of major utilities (including Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Berkshire Gas, and Liberty) will see a 25% reduction on electricity usage from February 1 to March 31, 2026. This is labeled as the “MA Winter Bill Relief” credit on bills.
About 15% of this reduction is funded using $180 million from the state. The remaining 10% is a deferral. Utilities will cover it temporarily and recover it from customers later during non-peak usage…