Eversource Files Request to Increase Rates

MASSACHUSETTS — Pending state approval, Eversource customers in both eastern and western Massachusetts could see an increase in their electricity bills.

Touting its commitment to "reliability and clean energy technologies,"Eversource announced Tuesday that it has filed a request with the Massachusetts Department of Utilities to update its base distribution rates.According to the announcement, the residents in the Western Massachusetts service area will experience approximately a 10 percent or $11.64 per month increase to their monthly bill. The proposal would add approximately $8.45 to the monthly bill of an eastern Massachusetts resident, a spike of approximately 7 percent.

“Customers are experiencing fewer and shorter outages as a result of our smart investments in sophisticated technology,” said Craig Hallstrom, President of Massachusetts Electric Operations at Eversource in a statement. “We’ve also worked hard to improve reliability for customers with efforts like our enhanced tree trimming programs, all while holding the line on rising costs. Now, we’re proposing to increase that commitment and utilize the latest engineering advances – including electric vehicle infrastructure and energy storage systems – to build a better future for the benefit of customers.”

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office casts it as a play to increase shareholder profits, rather than benefiting customers.

“As a regulated public utility, Eversource is required to justify why the state should permit it to raise electric rates on residents and business customers,” AG Maura Healey said in a press release decrying the company's request. “Our initial evaluation shows that Eversource should be returning profits to customers as savings, not raising rates. We urge the DPU to reject Eversource’s request for a rate hike.”

The company further indicated that the "proposed distribution rate adjustments are based on actual operation and maintenance cost deficiencies for a test year ending June 30, 2016." The announcement further indicated that the proposal "makes possible the recovery of costs associated with delivering top-tier reliability and launches a Grid-Wise Performance Plan."

“Our customers are expressing increasing interest in playing a more active role in their energy management with solar panels and other technologies,” Hallstrom said in the statement. “Our plan includes the tools to help make the integration of solar safer and more streamlined.”

Alison Bauter, Patch Staff contributed to this report

Image via Pixabay