ELM urges DPU to prevent utilities from passing winter rate relief costs to consumers

January 28, 2026 – ELM submitted comments calling on the Department of Public Utilities to prevent utilities from passing additional winter rate relief costs onto consumers. 

Amy Boyd Rabin, ELM’s Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, states:

Ratepayers are facing record-high energy bills this winter as utilities earn record profits. Massachusetts residents deserve rate relief, not another opportunity for the utilities to receive extra compensation for serving their customers’ needs.  

Utilities are now asking to charge interest on winter bill relief, a move that would further strain household budgets and drive summer bills even higher. In the past, the Dept. of Public Utilities has approved winter bill deferrals without interest and should do the same now. 

Massachusetts needs lasting solutions to reduce energy bills, not a cycle of annual deferrals that only deepen the burden on ratepayers.

Read more in ELM’s written comments.