Press Room

Plan would eliminate hidden fees and curb price spikes, preserve climate leadership

(BOSTON—6/24/2026) Massachusetts Senate leaders today introduced energy affordability legislation to deliver more than $14 billion in estimated ratepayer savings to Massachusetts residents, while also maintaining Massachusetts’ leadership in the fight against climate change.

The bill—S.3143, An Act to save people money, repair the climate and grow the economy—would cut monthly electric and gas bills by eliminating extra fees and volatile price spikes, innovating cheaper and cleaner energy solutions, and avoiding unnecessary and expensive infrastructure projects that have driven up rates.

“This legislation delivers a plan for Massachusetts that will cut costs for residents and families, create cost controls for the future, and importantly, not steer our state away from our global leadership in the climate fight,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “At a moment when costs are rising because of reckless federal actions, this plan would make real and tangible changes when people open up their energy bills every month. I applaud Chair Barrett for leading the charge to deliver energy reforms for our state and Chair Rodrigues, for shepherding this legislation. I look forward to debating this bill next week.”

“Homeowners, renters, and small businesses across my district consistently cite expensive energy costs as one of the single biggest issues they face, so I’m pleased we’re acting decisively by advancing this comprehensive energy affordability bill today,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This bill will drive down monthly utility bills and flatten out sudden price spikes, and our proposal will lead to long-term savings that will be felt by residents across the Commonwealth. At the same time, this legislation recognizes that our state needs to maintain a diversity of energy resources to reliably meet demands and lead the way to a more affordable future. I applaud the Senate President for her continued leadership, Senator Barrett for his stewardship, and all of my colleagues for sharing their feedback and providing input throughout the process. I look forward to next week’s debate.”

“The systems run by the gas and electric companies are sprawling and complicated,” said Senator Michael J. Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “The Senate sees no greedy masterminds behind the scenes, but we do identify pockets of overspending and overcharging that have accumulated over the years. My colleagues and I want to go after the excesses and save people some serious money.”

The Senate’s proposal would cut out extra fees that are currently funded by ratepayers, such as fees paid to utility companies for their role as an intermediary on energy procurement. By giving the intermediary contracting role to the state, ratepayers would save up to $420 million.

The bill includes a measure to save ratepayers $780 million by giving more flexibility to the procurement process to avoid seasonal price swings, a measure to save ratepayers $750 million by reforming certain charges that lead to price spikes on customers’ bills, and a measure to save consumers up to $1 billion after investigating unnecessary price markups by electric companies.

The legislation drives innovation and reduces fossil fuel reliance by supporting renewable natural gas made by anaerobic digestion, a key to $230 million in estimated long-term ratepayer savings. It encourages homeowners to adopt clean energy solutions by helping them with upfront financing for equipment like solar panels and battery storage.

It supports the work of the Mass Save program—which improves residents’ energy efficiency through upgrades and rebates—by cutting administrative bureaucracy, bringing in a fresh set of eyes to scrutinize the program, and reforming payments to utility companies.

Reforms to the Gas System Enhancement Program would quicken the phase out of accelerated utility spending and narrow the program’s scope to focus only on leak-prone infrastructure—instead of paying for the removal of all old pipes. Avoiding expensive and unnecessary projects like these would lead to another $1.46 billion in consumer savings.

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate press room.
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced a new version of the legislation this morning with a vote to place it before the full Senate, which has scheduled debate on the bill for next Wednesday, July 1.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee reported the bill as a redrafted version of legislation which was previously passed by the House of Representatives. An earlier version was reported by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy last year as an omnibus affordability package incorporating a dozen standalone proposals, which were made available for public input at five separate open committee hearings in 2025.

All votes taken at the committee and chamber levels are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.

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