Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing Petition
Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing Petition
The Issue
By signing this petition, I support Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing’s demands for a new Mass DPU commissioner who is committed to ensuring affordability, a cap on electricity/KWH charges, an end to delivery charges, and a meeting with Governor Healey to discuss these changes.
Our letter to Governor Healey:
March 31, 2025
Governor Maura Healey’s Office of Constituent Services
Massachusetts State House
24 Beacon Street
Office of the Governor, Room 280
Boston, MA 01233
RE: Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing Petition
Dear Governor Healey,
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines affordable housing as costing no more than 30% of an occupant’s gross income, inclusive of utilities. A Massachusetts resident paid minimum wage, $15/hour, earns an annual salary of $31,200. 30% of this income is $9,360.
Monthly electric bills for Palmer area residents, even those with homes measuring less than 1200 square feet, have recently run from over $900 to $1500, approximately $10,800 to $18,000 annually. Such exorbitant electric bills alone come close to or far exceed what should be a resident’s total cost of housing, including rent or mortgage.
A variety of delivery charges account for more than half of these electric bills.
These electric costs have been allowed by the MA Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and by you as governor.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition released a study in 2022 revealing that a resident in Massachusetts needed to make $37.97 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment here. This hourly rate is the second highest in the nation. The more the DPU is enabled to increase service delivery charges the less people will be able to live in Massachusetts, especially those who earn at or below 50% of the area median income.
We request a meeting with you to discuss the following:
Replacing the DPU commissioner with someone committed to ensuring affordability.
Ending delivery charges.
A cap on KWH charges.
The process DPU followed that resulted in these electricity rates.
Clarity on solar credits for those who own versus lease solar panels.
Establishing charges specific to each region in the state, similar to what the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities is doing in order to incentivize rental and ownership of affordable housing.
Please reach out to our petition contact, Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio, at kenddv@gmail.com or 973-953-2725 to schedule a meeting for this discussion. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this dire situation.
Respectfully,
Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing
47
The Issue
By signing this petition, I support Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing’s demands for a new Mass DPU commissioner who is committed to ensuring affordability, a cap on electricity/KWH charges, an end to delivery charges, and a meeting with Governor Healey to discuss these changes.
Our letter to Governor Healey:
March 31, 2025
Governor Maura Healey’s Office of Constituent Services
Massachusetts State House
24 Beacon Street
Office of the Governor, Room 280
Boston, MA 01233
RE: Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing Petition
Dear Governor Healey,
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines affordable housing as costing no more than 30% of an occupant’s gross income, inclusive of utilities. A Massachusetts resident paid minimum wage, $15/hour, earns an annual salary of $31,200. 30% of this income is $9,360.
Monthly electric bills for Palmer area residents, even those with homes measuring less than 1200 square feet, have recently run from over $900 to $1500, approximately $10,800 to $18,000 annually. Such exorbitant electric bills alone come close to or far exceed what should be a resident’s total cost of housing, including rent or mortgage.
A variety of delivery charges account for more than half of these electric bills.
These electric costs have been allowed by the MA Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and by you as governor.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition released a study in 2022 revealing that a resident in Massachusetts needed to make $37.97 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment here. This hourly rate is the second highest in the nation. The more the DPU is enabled to increase service delivery charges the less people will be able to live in Massachusetts, especially those who earn at or below 50% of the area median income.
We request a meeting with you to discuss the following:
Replacing the DPU commissioner with someone committed to ensuring affordability.
Ending delivery charges.
A cap on KWH charges.
The process DPU followed that resulted in these electricity rates.
Clarity on solar credits for those who own versus lease solar panels.
Establishing charges specific to each region in the state, similar to what the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities is doing in order to incentivize rental and ownership of affordable housing.
Please reach out to our petition contact, Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio, at kenddv@gmail.com or 973-953-2725 to schedule a meeting for this discussion. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this dire situation.
Respectfully,
Citizens for Fair Energy Pricing
47
Supporter Voices
Petition created on March 31, 2025