Massachusetts Electricity Rates
Massachusetts restructured its electricity market in 1997, making it one of the earliest states to offer full retail choice. With rates averaging 31.51¢/kWh—75% above the national average—Massachusetts residents have tremendous incentive to compare competitive suppliers. Over 170 communities have also adopted Community Choice Aggregation programs, providing additional savings opportunities. The state’s three utilities handle delivery while you choose your generation supplier.
Key Takeaways
Massachusetts Avg Rate
U.S. National Average
How Massachusetts Electricity Deregulation Works
Massachusetts passed the Electric Industry Restructuring Act in 1997, separating generation from delivery. Since 1998, all residential and commercial customers have been able to choose their competitive electricity supplier. Your utility continues to handle delivery, metering, billing, and outage restoration.
Identify Your Utility
Check your bill for National Grid (eastern & western MA), Eversource (eastern MA & Cape Cod), or Unitil (parts of southeastern MA). Your utility determines which suppliers are available.
Compare Suppliers
Browse licensed competitive suppliers and compare rates, contract terms, and renewable energy options. The MA DPU and ElectricChoice.com provide comparison tools.
Select & Enroll
Choose a plan and sign up online or by phone. Your supplier handles enrollment with your utility. Massachusetts provides consumer protection through the DPU.
Start Saving
The switch completes within 1–2 billing cycles with zero service interruption. Your utility continues delivering power through the same infrastructure.
Why MA Rates Are Among the Highest in the Nation
Massachusetts’s rates reflect constrained natural gas pipeline capacity causing winter price spikes, aging infrastructure requiring billions in upgrades, ambitious clean energy mandates (including the nation’s largest offshore wind commitments), high property and labor costs, and the state’s position within the ISO New England wholesale market. Given these high rates, even a modest percentage savings from switching suppliers translates to significant monthly dollar savings.
Massachusetts Electric Utilities
Massachusetts is served by three investor-owned electric utilities. All territories support full retail choice.
National Grid
Serves approximately 1.3 million electric customers across eastern and western Massachusetts, including the Greater Boston suburbs, Worcester, Springfield, and the Pioneer Valley. Outage line: 800-322-3223.
Eversource Energy
Serves approximately 1.5 million electric customers in eastern Massachusetts, including portions of Greater Boston, the South Shore, Cape Cod, and Martha’s Vineyard. Formerly NSTAR and Western Massachusetts Electric. Outage line: 800-592-2000.
Unitil
A smaller utility serving approximately 27,000 electric customers in the Fitchburg area of north-central Massachusetts. Despite its small size, Unitil customers have full access to competitive suppliers. Outage line: 888-301-7700.
Massachusetts Energy Profile
Massachusetts is heavily dependent on natural gas for electricity generation, which makes the state vulnerable to winter price spikes when pipeline capacity is constrained. The state is aggressively pursuing offshore wind—with contracted projects including Vineyard Wind and others totaling over 5,600 MW—which will significantly diversify the generation mix over the coming years. Massachusetts has set a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Best Time to Shop for MA Electricity
Spring: Mar–May
Heating season ends and ISO-NE wholesale prices drop. Suppliers offer their most competitive rates. Lock in a fixed rate during this window for maximum savings.
Winter: Dec–Feb
New England’s constrained gas pipelines cause wholesale electricity prices to spike dramatically. Variable-rate customers have seen winter bills double. Lock in a fixed rate before December.
Fall: Sep–Nov
Summer cooling demand fades and wholesale prices retreat. An excellent window to secure a competitive fixed rate before winter price increases.
Massachusetts’ Major Cities
| City | Utility |
|---|---|
| Boston | Eversource |
| Worcester | National Grid |
| Springfield | Eversource |
| Cambridge | Eversource |
| Lowell | National Grid |
| Brockton | Eversource |
| New Bedford | Eversource |
| Quincy | Eversource |
| Fall River | Eversource |
| Lynn | National Grid |
| Somerville | Eversource |
| Framingham | Eversource |
Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Electricity
Is Massachusetts a deregulated electricity state?
Yes. Massachusetts restructured its electricity market in 1997 under the Electric Industry Restructuring Act. Full retail choice has been available since 1998. All customers served by National Grid, Eversource, and Unitil can choose their competitive electricity supplier.
What is the average electricity rate in Massachusetts?
The average residential rate is 31.51¢/kWh—75% above the national average of 18.05¢/kWh. Massachusetts has the third-highest electricity rates in the continental United States.
What is Basic Service in Massachusetts?
Basic Service is the default generation rate for customers who haven’t chosen a competitive supplier. Each utility procures Basic Service through competitive auctions overseen by the MA Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Residential Basic Service rates change every six months (January and July). You can compare the Basic Service rate against competitive offers to determine which option saves you more.
What is Community Choice Aggregation in Massachusetts?
Over 170 Massachusetts communities have active Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs that negotiate electricity supply on behalf of their residents. If your town has a CCA, you’re automatically enrolled at the aggregated rate—which often includes more renewable energy than Basic Service. You can opt out and choose your own supplier or return to Basic Service at any time.
Who do I call for power outages in Massachusetts?
For power outages, contact your utility. National Grid: 800-322-3223. Eversource: 800-592-2000. Unitil: 888-301-7700. Your utility handles all delivery infrastructure and outage restoration regardless of your supplier.
About this Data
Rate data is sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), ISO New England, and the ElectricChoice.com electric rate marketplace. Last data refresh: April 2026.
