BOSTON, April 6, 2026, 3:18 PM (EDT)
National Grid plc is back under the microscope in Massachusetts on Monday. Regulators will take public comments in Lynn later today on a plan that could hike gas delivery charges in the company’s service areas. The proposal, if it goes through, would tack roughly $24 onto the average winter heating bill for customers in greater Boston and central Massachusetts, while folks in Cape Cod and the Merrimack Valley would see about $25 more each month.
This hearing is among the final public steps before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities delivers its verdict on the proposal by Nov. 30. If regulators greenlight the filing, new rates hit bills starting Jan. 1, 2027. The proposed increase targets just the distribution charge—essentially, costs tied to pipes and the delivery system. Gas commodity prices and state-program surcharges aren’t affected.
Boston Gas Company—operating under the National Grid name—has asked for an extra $342 million in revenue. The utility plans to move around $198 million, previously related to gas-system upgrades, into its base rates, which would leave a net hike of $144 million. That’s about a 12% jump in distribution revenue, according to the Department of Public Utilities notice.
The utility is pushing for a five-year performance-based ratemaking plan that would allow annual base rate adjustments, tied to a revenue-cap formula incorporating inflation. Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office has stepped in, requesting regulator approval for up to $600,000 to hire outside experts and consultants—costs that, according to the notice, could end up being included in the rates customers pay.
National Grid says the new filing aims to cover costs for aging infrastructure, cyber defenses, local property taxes, and more staff needed under stricter safety regulations. The utility notes that roughly a third of its 3,600 miles of Massachusetts gas mains date back to before 1970. The proposal also introduces a flat monthly distribution fee and expanded discounts for customers who qualify based on income.
Lisa Wieland, who heads National Grid New England, told investors back in January, “National Grid’s gas rate case advances the safety and reliability of our system.” Since regulators last signed off on a gas rate case in 2021, the company says it’s swapped out over 600 miles of older pipe and poured $3.9 billion into system reinforcement, liquefied natural gas work, and required safety improvements. National Grid
The bill’s impact won’t spread evenly. Low-income residential customers could be looking at anything from a 17% to 20% hike, or—on the flip side—a drop of up to 65%, all hinging on income tier, according to the filing. For commercial and industrial accounts, swings look sharp, too: monthly bills might fall 37.5% or climb 37.8%.
The case is stirring up a broader dispute over utility billing practices in Massachusetts. Lawmakers in the state senate are weighing a bill that would stop companies from charging customers for the legal and consulting fees tied to rate cases. Eversource is facing the same questions. Charlie Spatz at the Energy Policy Institute told WBUR that most consumers aren’t aware they’re footing the bill for “very expensive attorneys” and consultants in these cases. WBUR
Both sides face risk here. Governor Maura Healey is on record against a sweeping National Grid gas rate hike. Still, Jamie Van Nostrand, who previously chaired the Massachusetts DPU, argues that shutting the door completely on cost recovery isn’t “good policy”—he warns it might spook credit agencies, potentially raising borrowing costs for utilities. WCVB
London’s National Grid plc runs electricity networks across Great Britain and manages gas and power businesses in the U.S. Northeast. Following Monday’s Lynn hearing, other Massachusetts sessions are lined up: Acton on April 9, a virtual meeting April 13 and Boston on April 15. Written comments can be submitted until April 30.
