After a summer plagued by high gas prices, it doesn't appear that consumers will get relief for the winter as National Grid and Eversource raise energy prices.
National Grid’s winter energy price hikes that go into effect Tuesday mean that the average monthly electric bill will go up by 64% and the average monthly natural gas bill will increase by 24%.
The Department of Public Utilities has approved an increase for Eversource – that will also begin Tuesday — but the extent of their increases is still unclear.
The CEO of Eversource has even written a letter to President Biden for some relief, saying he's concerned not just about the steep price increase for consumers, but supply issues that could leave New England without enough electricity this winter.
The head of Eversource, Joe Nolan, said in his letter to the president that the region remains dependent on natural gas for some of its electric generation, and he’s concerned about an energy shortfall.
The war in Ukraine means less natural gas availability, which leads to prices going up.
Nolan wants the president to make it possible for U.S. suppliers in the Gulf to transport fuel to New England.
Winter in New England can be unpredictable, Nolan warned.
"I am worried about a peak day when we hit a polar vortex," he said. "I don’t want be in a situation they were in Texas or California."
Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Massachusetts, is now the managing director of the Citizens Energy Corporation, a group that promotes renewable energy and helps low-income families.
"The potential for dramatic increase across in prices across the board — whether that's from natural gas, whether it's from oil or anything else — we need to make sure we're doing the upfront planning," he said.
