Environmental Group Wants State To Block Rate Hikes For National Grid Customers

By Kristina Rex, CBS Boston

August 8, 2023

BOSTON – A Boston-based environmental agency is encouraging the state to reject a proposed rate hike from a leading electrical supplier.

Conservation Law Foundation wrote a letter to the Department of Public Utilities asking it to consider regulation that would require electric companies to analyze and improve their own infrastructure before passing the expense onto customers. "We urge the Department to deny National Grid's request to recover costs associated with the exogenous storm event because its failure to assess its infrastructure's readiness for foreseeable storm events was imprudent and thus it is unreasonable to pass these costs on to ratepayers," the letter said.

National Grid has applied to the Department of Public Utilities, asking for permission to raise electric rates in October 2023 to cover the cost of storms from 2021. In particular, an October 2021 nor'easter that cost the company more than $50 million is leading to this rate hike.

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