Heating Bills Are Rising – What Are Your Options?

Homes heated with natural gas are seeing their bills go up, and fuel oil prices are spiking. Is it time to consider a heat pump?

Last year, Massachusetts electric utilities began offering a lower rate during the winter heating season for homeowners with heat pumps, to reduce the cost of heating your home.

High efficiency heat pumps also provide best-in-class air conditioning that can add cooling or lower summer bills.

Savings at Home:

Reducing your energy consumption will help lower your energy bills. The MassSave energy efficiency and electrification programs offer a range of options, such as incentives for insulation, heat pumps and new windows, to help customers manage their energy use, which increases cost savings and increases comfort. Over the years, the program has generated $42 billion in benefits for Bay Staters.

Solution Spotlight: High-Efficiency Heat Pumps + Discounted Rates

Do you have a heat pump in your home? High-efficiency cold weather heat pumps can be used for both heating in winter and cooling in summer while potentially saving energy and money all year long.

Heat pumps come in a range of shapes and sizes to fit single family houses, condos, and apartments. Rebates are available to lower the upfront cost of heat pumps for Massachusetts residents and business via Masssave.com – and there are no-cost options for income-qualifying households. Customers of Massachusetts electric utilities can also participate in seasonal heat pump rates designed to decrease winter energy charges for homes that use their electric heat pump for heating.

Learn more:
• Air-Source Heat Pumps
• Ground-Source Heat Pumps
• Residential Seasonal Heat Pump Rates

 

Know Your Options

Energy Affordability Is On Everyone’s Mind. Understanding How You Can Reduce Your Electricity Usage And Take Advantage Of Existing Programs And Rates May Help You Save Money.

Did You Know?

The Mass Save program delivers a strong return on the investment.  Investing in energy efficiency and electrification will help reduce your energy demand and deliver long-term savings to you and your neighbors.

Why Switch Off of Gas?
Over the last five years, Massachusetts gas bills have increased on average by 10% each year.

- Boston Globe (op-ed) Nov. 2025  link

Aging Infrastructure and price volatility:

Gas pipelines in the commonwealth are costly to maintain and replace. Paying for pipeline projects now makes up two-thirds of customers’ monthly bills – if you are a gas utility customer, you pay this cost regardless of how much gas you use.

At the same time, gas supply is prone to price spikes. This winter, the cost of gas in New England is 133% higher than in 2024, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts the cost to be even higher in 2027.

At the same time, gas supply is prone to extreme price spikes. This winter, the cost of gas in New England is 133% higher than in 2024, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts the cost to be even higher in 2027. This means the “supply” portion of a gas bill (today, about 1/3 of the total), is spiking.
The only way out of paying forever increasing bills is to get off of gas.

What's the Solution?

1. Savings At Home

Reducing your energy consumption will help lower your energy bills. The MassSave energy efficiency and electrification programs offer a range of options, such as incentives for insulation, heat pumps and new windows, to help customers manage their energy use, which increases cost savings and increases comfort.

2. Investigation of Bill Charges

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has launched an investigation to review all charges on utilities bills to address energy price spikes and improve transparency for the public.

3. Take Action

Make your voice heard, contact your legislator here to make it clear that more “natural” gas is not the path to energy affordability.

Solution Spotlight: High-Efficiency Heat Pumps + Discounted Rates

Do you have a heat pump in your home? High-efficiency heat pumps can be used for both heating in winter and cooling in summer while potentially saving energy and money all year long.

Heat pumps come in a range of shapes and sizes to fit single family houses, condos, and apartments. Rebates are available to lower the upfront cost of heat pumps for Massachusetts residents and business via Masssave.com – and there are no-cost options for income-qualifying households. Customers of Massachusetts electric utilities can also participate in seasonal heat pump rates designed to decrease winter energy charges for homes that use their electric heat pump for heating.

Learn more:
• Air-Source Heat Pumps
• Ground-Source Heat Pumps
• Residential Seasonal Heat Pump Rates