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State Electricity Rates

Massachusetts Electricity Rate Changes: What Changed in 2026 and What's Next

· 5 min read · by

Published: September 30, 2026 | Last verified: September 30, 2026

We did not find a Massachusetts residential electricity rate change scheduled for October 1, 2026. Default supply (“basic service”) prices reset every six months, and the most recent reset was August 1, 2026. Prices should hold steady through the fall, then reset again in early 2027. Because that August increase is what most homeowners are seeing on bills now, it is covered below.

Quick Summary

UtilityEffective DatePrevious RateNew RateChangeCustomer Impact
Eversource (eastern MA)Aug. 1, 202615.629¢/kWh17.323¢/kWh+1.694¢ (+10.8%)Basic service supply only
Eversource (western MA)Aug. 1, 202613.683¢/kWh15.934¢/kWh+2.251¢ (about +16.5%)Basic service supply only
National GridAug. 1, 202614.751¢/kWh16.669¢/kWh before adjustment factors+1.918¢ (about +13%)Basic service; adjustments could raise it to about 17.29¢
UnitilNot verified————

What these are: the supply portion of your bill only, not delivery. Figures come from a Massachusetts energy-rates blog and consumer sites reporting on utility filings; we could not open the state’s official rate spreadsheet (see fact-check note). Treat them as close but unconfirmed.

What Is Changing on October 1, 2026?

Nothing that we could verify. Under the state Department of Public Utilities (DPU) system, residential basic service is bought in two solicitations per year and priced as a six-month fixed rate. The next reset is expected in early 2027; we did not find the exact date published by the DPU.

What Changed on August 1?

The Boston Globe reported on July 27, 2026 that the utilities’ supply rates were moving from roughly 15–16¢ to roughly 17–18¢ per kWh. Basic service has three cost parts: the wholesale supply cost, the cost of meeting the state’s renewable portfolio standard, and small administrative costs. Utilities do not profit from basic service.

How Much Could Your Electric Bill Change?

One consumer site estimates the Eversource increase at about $10.14 more per month at 600 kWh and $16.90 at 1,000 kWh. Those match the published cents-per-kWh change (1.69¢ × 600 = $10.14), but it is our arithmetic on a secondary source, for supply only and before taxes and delivery.

Which Customers Are Affected?

Only customers on basic service. According to the Globe, citing the state Department of Energy Resources, more than half of Massachusetts customers are in municipal aggregation programs and roughly another quarter buy from competitive suppliers, so many households were not affected. National Grid and Eversource customers in a city program should check their program’s rate.

What This Means for Homeowners With Solar

We did not verify current Massachusetts net metering or SMART program details in this pass, so we will not describe them here. Check your utility’s net metering tariff and the state’s SMART program page. As a general rule, a higher supply price increases the value of every kWh your panels offset.

What Homeowners Should Check on Their Electric Bill

  1. Basic service or a supplier? Look at the supply section.
  2. Your supply rate versus basic service, and any monthly supplier fee.
  3. Contract end date if you have a fixed supplier rate.
  4. Delivery charges (separate from supply).
  5. The DPU’s seasonal heat pump rate page, if you have a heat pump.

What Happens Next

  • The next basic service reset is expected around February 1, 2027 (six-month cycle; not confirmed by a DPU notice).
  • Boston’s Community Choice program rate is reportedly locked until December 2027, per the Globe.

Sources