Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has called on regional utility companies to expedite the issuance of refunds owed to ratepayers amid ongoing concerns over energy costs as winter approaches. In a letter sent Tuesday to executives at Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil, Healey urged the utilities to immediately return funds related to transmission rates that had included an excessive return on equity (ROE) for more than a decade. The total refunds owed to New England customers are estimated at approximately $1.5 billion.
Healey’s demand follows a March ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that lowered the allowed ROE for New England transmission utilities and initially required refunds to be made within 30 days. However, the deadline for returning these funds was extended to May 20, 2027, after appeals by the utilities. According to Healey’s office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied attempts by the utilities to further delay the refund timeline.
“Further delay is unacceptable,” Healey wrote. “Customers should not have to wait any longer for money that FERC has determined must be returned to them.” She requested detailed information by Oct. 27 on the expected refund amounts for Massachusetts customers, refund schedules, and the process by which the refunds would be issued.
The governor’s push comes as Massachusetts faces a tighter energy landscape and rising utility costs. Ahead of her reelection campaign, Healey earlier declared a “state of energy emergency” and implemented measures designed to mitigate costs, including one-time heating assistance for middle-income households, expanded aid for low-income residents, protections against price gouging, and a temporary suspension of clean energy charges on electric bills. Healey is scheduled to debate Republican challenger Mike Matty Minogue on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, energy affordability legislation has remained under private conference committee negotiations for several months, with House Speaker Ron Mariano indicating that the process is not tied to the upcoming election schedule.
Minogue’s energy plan differs sharply, proposing an immediate reduction of state-mandated energy utility fees—claimed to represent about one-third of customer bills—along with investments in natural gas infrastructure and exploration of modular nuclear power options.
Representatives from the utilities responded cautiously to Healey’s call for accelerated refunds. Eversource spokesperson William Hinkle described the refund process as intricate, involving coordination among multiple regional transmission operators and electric distribution companies before funds can be credited to customers. “We plan to ultimately comply with FERC directives,” Hinkle said, “but will not sacrifice the accuracy of customer billing information in the process.”
National Grid indicated it is calculating refunds and expects to begin processing them in 2027, ahead of the May FERC deadline, according to spokesperson Brendan Moss. Unitil stated it would respond to Healey’s letter by the Oct. 27 deadline and affirmed its commitment to comply with regulatory requirements, spokesperson Amanda Vicinanzo said.
Eversource CEO Joseph Nolan acknowledged Healey’s criticisms during an industry conference last month, attributing the tone to the election season and maintaining that relations with Massachusetts and neighboring state officials remain positive.
With winter nearing, the pressure mounts on utilities and state officials alike to address high energy costs and deliver timely relief to consumers across Massachusetts.