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Report: Massachusetts has the 8th highest utility rates in the country

BOSTON — When winter blows in, gas and electric rates usually jump. That's especially true in Massachusetts and across New England.

Mary Ann Weitz says her electric bill has climbed year after year.

“Still I’m seeing a pretty much consistent $10 increment monthly," she said. "Budgeting and tracking it I definitely make a spreadsheet and I reverse look years to years and I notice there’s just a jump in utilities right now.”

She's not alone.

Massachusetts has the 8th highest utility rates in the country, according to a survey done by move.org.

In fact, all six New England utility companies made their top ten list.

In Massachusetts, the average cost for utilities every month is $469.13.

According to the New England Ratepayers Association, right now there's little consumers can do.

“As a consumer, the best thing to do is to use as little electricity as possible," said Marc Brown, president of the New England Ratepayers Association.

The problem he says is how electricity is produced here. Half is made using natural gas, and this region, Brown said, needs more gas to help reduce costs.

"We’ve got to find a way to get additional pipeline capacity into the region," Brown said.

Recent protests like this one have shut down new pipeline projects. And until then, residential and business customers will pay more than other parts of the country for power and heat from gas.

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