Forward-thinking approach to clean energy technology supports accessibility and cost-effectiveness

BOSTON and SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 28, 2025) – As part of its holistic approach to ensuring that the commonwealth’s unprecedented energy transition takes place at a pace that is affordable and attainable for all customers, Eversource is putting forward a new proposal reaffirming its focus on cost-effective strategies and solutions that lower barriers for customers seeking to affordably adopt electrification technologies. In support of Massachusetts’ goal to electrify the heating sector, the energy company is engaging with the state to make heat pumps more accessible and practical for customers. In support of those efforts, the energy company recently filed a proposal that will require approval by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to implement a residential electric heat pump rate – a new rate structure that is designed to encourage heat pump adoption.

“An electric heat pump rate allows for an equitable sharing of costs, and with electrification expected to increase in the coming years, it just makes sense for customers by removing a key financial barrier to adopting this technology,” said Vice President of Distribution Rates and Regulatory Requirements Doug Horton. “With increased electric usage for many customers who switch to a heat pump, providing a seasonal rate better balances their energy and system usage. Solutions like this will be essential to meeting the commonwealth’s energy transition goals while keeping affordability top of mind, and we will continue to advocate for opportunities that increase accessibility while remaining economical for all customers.”

The seasonal heat pump rate would be available to all residential heat pump customers and would help mitigate the bill impact of increased electric usage necessary to operate the technology, promoting bill stability and predictability for customers. The proposed rate would offer its largest benefits through a lower rate during the winter when electric usage is typically the greatest for heat pump customers, resulting in significant savings on top of already improved energy efficiency. If approved by the DPU, Eversource estimates that customers who transition from natural gas to an electric heat pump for heating will see total annual energy costs remain stable or slightly decrease despite a significant increase in electric usage. 

To learn more about the benefits of adopting a heat pump and Eversource’s award-winning energy efficiency solutions, please visit the dedicated page of its website.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is recognized as the #1 U.S. utility on TIME’s List of World’s Best Companies for 2024. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to 2.1 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.49 million electric customers in 161 communities, 643,000 gas customers in 125 communities, and 11,500 water customers in five communities. Eversource harnesses the commitment of more than 10,000 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.