Haverhill Public Hearing - National Grid Gas Rate Case - March 31, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Public Hearing for National Grid Base Distribution Rates (DPU 26-50) | Mass.gov

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities will be conducting an in-person public hearing to receive comments on the petition from National Grid for an increase in gas base distribution rates. Additional information regarding National Grid’s proposal and bill impacts for different service areas may be found below. The proposed rates are suspended while the Department conducts its review of National Grid’s petition. 

The Department will hold eight public hearings to receive comments on the Company’s filing.

The fourth public hearing will take place on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Haverhill High School auditorium, 137 Monument Street, Haverhill, Massachusetts 01832. The hearing will be conducted in English and Spanish. To request interpretation and/or translation in an additional language, please email Kaylee Burgess at dpu.ej@mass.gov by Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

Any person interested in commenting on this matter may submit written comments no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Written comments from the public may be sent by email to dpu.efiling@mass.gov, DPU2650.GridRateCase@mass.gov, and the Company’s attorney, Robert J. Humm, at rhumm@keeganwerlin.com. Please note that in the interest of transparency any comments will be posted to our website as received and without redacting personal information, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses. As such, consider the extent of information you wish to share when submitting comments. The Department strongly encourages public comments to be submitted by email. If, however, a member of the public is unable to send written comments by email, a paper copy may be sent to Peter A. Ray, Secretary, Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110.

For more information, please see the Notice below. 

DPU Notice

D.P.U. 26-50.                                                                                                                              January 23, 2026

Petition of Boston Gas Company, doing business as National Grid, pursuant to G.L. c. 164, § 94 and 220 CMR 5.00, for Approval of a General Increase in Base Distribution Rates for Gas Service and a Performance-Based Ratemaking Plan.

On January 16, 2026, Boston Gas Company, doing business as National Grid, (“National Grid” or “Company”), filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities (“Department”) for an increase in gas base distribution rates. The Department has docketed this matter as D.P.U. 26-50 and has suspended the effective date of the proposed rate increase until December 1, 2026, to investigate the propriety of the Company’s request. The Company was last granted an increase to base distribution rates in Boston Gas Company, D.P.U. 20-120 (2021).

National Grid seeks to increase its gas base distribution rates as part of its effort to generate approximately $342 million in additional revenues. National Grid’s revenue deficiency includes the transfer to base distribution rates of approximately $198 million associated with capital investments completed through December 31, 2024 as part of the Company’s gas system enhancement program (“GSEP”). Net of these adjustments, the proposed overall increase to revenues is approximately $144 million, which the Company states represents a twelve percent increase in distribution revenue. The proposed base distribution rate increase is in addition to changes to other rates, such as supply rates and reconciling mechanisms, that occur during the year.

As part of its filing, National Grid proposes to implement a five-year performance-based ratemaking (“PBR”) plan, which would allow the Company to adjust its base distribution rates on an annual basis through the application of a total revenue cap formula that accounts for inflation. The proposed PBR plan also includes a consumer divided; a provision to recover or return exogenous costs outside of the Company’s control, including an expanded definition to address certain significant capital investments; a provision to share excessive earnings; and a provision to share savings with customers realized from undertaking certain non-pipeline alternative projects. National Grid proposes several individual performance metrics to gauge the Company’s progress on its PBR plan commitments.

National Grid also seeks to implement a recovery mechanism for annual incremental revenue requirement associated with capital investments necessary to comply with gas safety regulations prescribed by 220 CMR 101. The Company makes additional proposals regarding gas safety and regulatory compliance, including the hiring of additional personnel and accounting changes related to certain repairs. Additionally, National Grid seeks to make a one-time recovery request, during the PBR plan term, of the costs associated with the Company’s liquified natural gas life-cycle integrity projects. National Grid also seeks funding to establish a research, development, and demonstration program related to certain aspects of gas distribution operations.

National Grid’s filing also includes information on its billing practices and related issues stemming from the Company’s failure to render timely bills during the 2024-2025 winter season, including the Company’s request to recover the total sums waived, refunded, or credited to customers because of the billing delays. Further, National Grid’s filing includes information regarding the Company’s Gas Business Enablement program and a proposal to recover program costs. The Company also proposes delaying recovery of certain GSEP-related costs to mitigate the bill impact of the requested rate increase.

The Company’s filing also includes proposed adjustments to certain revenue and expense categories, as well as the recovery of certain capital investments made through March 31, 2026. Further, the Company’s filing provides information on the impact of the sale of its Rhode Island affiliate. National Grid’s filing also includes pension, depreciation, and tax-related proposals. Additionally, the Company proposes rate design changes, including increases in customer charges; a multi-tiered low-income discount for eligible customers; and consolidated legacy (i.e., Boston Gas Company and Colonial Gas Company) rate classes. The Company also proposes tariff revisions to implement its various proposals.

The foregoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list of issues set forth in the Company’s filing. Additional information regarding the foregoing proposals, and all other proposals set forth by National Grid, can be found in the Company’s filing, which is located on the Department’s website as noted below.

In addition to the issues and proposals raised in National Grid’s filing, the Department may examine in this proceeding the issues surrounding third-party contractor invoicing for concrete and asphalt restoration, previously docketed for investigation in D.P.U. 25-176.

National Grid states that if its petition is approved as requested customers can expect the following bill impacts:

For customers in the Boston Gas Company service area:

• A residential heating customer receiving service under Rate R-3 that uses on average 106 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $23.66 (8.4 percent);
• A residential non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-1 that uses on average 14 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $4.99 (9.3 percent);
• A residential low-income heating customer receiving service under Rate R-4 that uses on average 765 therms of gas annually will experience bill impacts that will vary depending upon income and placement in the appropriate low-income discount tier. The bill impacts will vary from an increase of 17.0 percent to a decrease of 65.0 percent; and
• A residential low-income non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-2 that uses on average 164 therms of gas annually will experience bill impacts that will vary depending upon income and placement in the appropriate low-income discount tier. The bill impacts will vary from an increase of 19.0 percent to a decrease of 64.0 percent.

For customers in the former Colonial Gas Company service area:

• A residential heating customer receiving service under Rate R-3 that uses on average 106 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $24.76 (9.4 percent);
• A residential non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-1 that uses on average 14 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $5.14 (10.0 percent);
• A residential low-income heating customer receiving service under Rate R-4 that uses on average 765 therms of gas annually will experience bill impacts that will vary depending upon income and placement in the appropriate low-income discount tier. The bill impacts will vary from an increase of 18.0 percent to a decrease of 65.0 percent; and
• A residential low-income non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-2 that uses on average 164 therms of gas annually will experience bill impacts that will vary depending upon income and placement in the appropriate low-income discount tier. bill impacts will vary from an increase of 20.0 percent to a decrease of 64.0 percent.

For commercial and industrial (“C&I”) customers:

• C&I customers can expect bill impacts to vary. According to the Company, based on average monthly usage during the winter season, depending on usage, rate class and whether the customer would be reclassified as a result of the Company’s proposed rate consolidation, the monthly bill impacts will range from a decrease of 37.5 percent to an increase of 37.8 percent.

Additional bill impact information and additional detail about the filing can be found at: : https://mass.gov/info-details/national-grid-2026-gas-base-distribution-rate-case/.

The Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Attorney General”) has filed a notice of intervention in this matter pursuant to G.L. c. 12, § 11E(a). Further, pursuant to G.L. c. 12, § 11E(b), the Attorney General has filed a notice of retention of experts and consultants to assist in her investigation of the Company’s filing and has requested Department approval to spend up to $600,000 in this regard. Pursuant to G.L. c. 12, § 11E(b), the costs incurred by the Attorney General relative to her retention of experts and consultants may be recovered in the Company’s rates.

The Department will conduct in-person public hearings to receive comments on the Company’s petition as follows:

In addition to the above in-person hearings, the Department will conduct a virtual public hearing using Zoom videoconferencing on April 13, 2026. The session will begin at 7:00 p.m. Attendees can join either session by entering the link,
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88522494757, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. No prior software download is required. For audio-only access to the public hearing, attendees can dial in at 1-646-558-8656 (not toll free) and then enter the Webinar ID: 885 2249 4757. Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Khmer, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian over the Zoom platform by clicking the “Interpretation” button on the menu at the bottom of the Zoom application screen and selecting your language (i.e., English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Khmer, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian).

The Department will accept written comments on the Company’s filing until the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on April 30, 2026. Written comments from the public may be sent by email to dpu.efiling@mass.gov and DPU2650.GridRateCase@mass.gov, and the Company’s attorney, Robert J. Humm, Esq. at rhumm@keeganwerlin.com. Please note that in the interest of transparency any comments will be posted to our website as received, and without redacting, personal information, such as addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses. As such, consider the extent of information you wish to share when submitting comments. The Department strongly encourages public comments to be submitted by email. If, however, a member of the public is unable to send written comments by email, a paper copy may be sent to Peter A. Ray, Secretary, Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110.

Any person who desires to participate otherwise in the evidentiary phase of this proceeding shall file a petition for leave to intervene no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 20, 2026. A petition for leave to intervene must satisfy the timing and substantive requirements of 220 CMR 1.03. Receipt by the Department constitutes filing and determines whether a petition has been timely filed. A petition filed late may be disallowed as untimely, unless good cause is shown for waiver under 220 CMR 1.01(4). To be allowed, a petition under 220 CMR 1.03(1) must satisfy the standing requirements of G.L. c. 30A, § 10. All responses to petitions to intervene must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on the second business day after the petition to intervene was filed. Any person who seeks to intervene in this matter and desires to comment on the Attorney General’s notice of retention of experts and consultants must file the comments no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 20, 2026.

All documents should be submitted to the Department in .pdf format by e-mail attachment to dpu.efiling@mass.gov, DPU2650.GridRateCase@mass.gov, and to the Company’s attorney at the above email addresses. The text of the e-mail must specify: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (D.P.U. 26-50); (2) the name of the person or company submitting the filing; and (3) a brief descriptive title of the document.

All documents submitted in electronic format will be posted on the Department’s website through our online File Room as soon as practicable (enter “26-50”) at: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/DPU/Fileroom/dockets/bynumber. To the extent a person or entity wishes to submit comments or intervene in accordance with this Notice, electronic submission, as detailed above, is sufficient. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), please contact the Department’s ADA coordinator eeadiversity@mass.gov or (617) 626-1282.

For further information regarding National Grid’s filing, please contact the Company’s attorney, identified above. For further information regarding this Notice, please contact DPU2650.GridRateCase@mass.gov.