A 12/9 post for Mass Power Forward by Claire Miller outlines the most critical goals for the 2026 MA House Energy Package. The core premises:
“The House moved in November on creating an energy affordability package, but paused because the Costly Climate-Rollback Bill (H.4744) took us in the wrong direction (see here and here for details on that). Now, we need to move beyond stopping legislation to passing truly transformative policies that build a clean, affordable future. We have three themes we ask you, legislators, to include, with policy lists and resources in further pages.
- Put People Over Energy Profits – Massachusetts ranks the second-highest in the continental United States for electricity and first for natural gas – a major contributor to our high bills. From summer 2024 to summer 2025, ISO-New England reported the price of natural gas went up 83%. In 2023 alone, gas utility capital spending cost Massachusetts ratepayers an estimated $1.5 billion, accounting for much of utility bill costs. Additionally a large portion of our rising gas delivery rates are due to the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP), the program gas companies use to put new pipes in the ground to expand their gas system, instead of affordable repairs to necessary pipes.
- Strengthen Mass Save – Mass Save is currently delivering $3.51 in benefits for every dollar invested. But those benefits are not equitably distributed, are hard to access for low and middle income families, and almost entirely off the table for renters.
- Expand Clean, Affordable Energy while Protecting Forests – All forms of clean energy – solar, wind, efficiency – drive down energy costs. With those resources, we are freeing ourselves from dependency on fossil fuels which drive up wholesale and retail rates.
Other policies:…protect families, workers and the planet.
Each of the outlined goals is presented with specific legislative bill numbers, resource information, and status.
For the first goal, putting people over energy profits, Miller writes: “Massachusetts ranks the second-highest in the continental United States for electricity and first for natural gas – a major contributor to our high bills. From summer 2024 to summer 2025, ISO-New England reported the price of natural gas went up 83%. In 2023 alone, gas utility capital spending cost Massachusetts ratepayers an estimated $1.5 billion, accounting for much of utility bill costs. Additionally a large portion of our rising gas delivery rates are due to the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP), the program gas companies use to put new pipes in the ground to expand their gas system, instead of affordable repairs to necessary pipes.”
Read the post in full.