Massachusetts Electricity Rates: What You Pay in 2026

A homeowner in Worcester opens her electric bill in July and does a double take. The number is higher than last summer, and she is not sure why. She is not alone. Massachusetts consistently ranks near the top of national electricity cost surveys, and most residents have no idea they have a legal right to choose a different electricity supplier without switching utilities, changing a meter, or making a single phone call to Eversource or National Grid.

This guide explains exactly how Massachusetts electricity rates are structured, what you are actually paying for, and where to go when you are ready to compare options.

Every electric bill in Massachusetts has two major cost buckets. The first is delivery, which covers the poles, wires, transformers, and meters that physically move electricity to your home. Delivery is regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and is set by your utility. You cannot shop for delivery, no matter what any marketer tells you.

The second bucket is supply, which is the cost of the electricity itself. This is where Massachusetts law gives you a choice. You can stay on your utility's default supply rate, called Basic Service, or you can contract with a licensed competitive supplier. The utility still delivers your power either way. Your meter, your service address, and your relationship with Eversource or National Grid stay exactly the same.

Basic Service is the default supply rate your utility charges if you have never shopped for a competitive offer. It is not a penalty rate, but it is not always the cheapest option either. The DPU requires utilities to update it periodically based on wholesale market conditions.

As of July 2026, the rates are:

National Grid (most of the state): approximately 15.4 cents/kWh
Eversource: approximately 15.6 cents/kWh
National Grid (Nantucket): approximately 15.4 cents/kWh

These figures apply to the supply portion of your bill only. Delivery charges, taxes, and fees are added on top. For a typical Massachusetts household using 600 to 700 kWh per month, supply alone can represent a significant share of the total bill, which is why the per-kWh supply rate matters so much.

For the most current rates at any time, check our Massachusetts electricity rates page or the DPU's official website.

The competitive retail electricity market in Massachusetts is real and active. Licensed suppliers buy power on the wholesale market and offer fixed or variable rates directly to residential customers. The DPU oversees licensing and consumer protections.

As of July 2026, the lowest competitive supply rate available in the state is approximately 12.4 cents/kWh, though specific offers vary by utility territory and contract terms. That gap between the lowest available rate and Eversource's Basic Service rate of 15.6 cents/kWh is meaningful on an annual basis for a household using several hundred kilowatts every month.

Not every competitive offer is a better deal, though. Some suppliers charge variable rates that can spike, or they lock customers into contracts with early-termination fees. Reading the contract length, rate type (fixed vs. variable), and cancellation terms before enrolling is essential. The state's comparison tool, Energy Switch Massachusetts, lists licensed suppliers and current offers side by side so you can compare apples to apples.

Massachusetts is divided between two major investor-owned utilities. Eversource serves much of eastern Massachusetts, including Boston, the South Shore, the North Shore, and parts of central Massachusetts. National Grid covers a large swath of central and western Massachusetts, plus the greater Worcester area and much of Cape Cod. National Grid also serves Nantucket under its own rate schedule.

Your utility territory determines which competitive suppliers are available to you, because suppliers are licensed by service territory. It also determines your delivery rate, which is set separately from supply and stays with the utility regardless of who supplies your electricity.

If you are unsure which utility serves your address, your bill will show the company name clearly, and both utilities maintain address-lookup tools on their websites.

The process is straightforward. You do not need to call your utility, schedule any work, or replace any equipment.

Step 1: Check your current rate. Find the supply rate on your most recent bill. It will be labeled Basic Service or something similar.

Step 2: Use a comparison tool. Visit Energy Switch Massachusetts or ElectricRates.org's Massachusetts page to see live competitive offers in your territory.

Step 3: Read the contract details. Look for the rate type (fixed is more predictable), the contract length, and any cancellation fee.

Step 4: Enroll online or by phone. The supplier handles the switch notification to your utility. Your next bill or the one after that will reflect the new supply rate.

Step 5: Verify the change. When your next bill arrives, confirm the supply rate matches what you agreed to. If it does not match, contact the supplier first, and the DPU's consumer division if the issue is unresolved.

Massachusetts has several programs designed to reduce electricity costs for qualifying households. The two most relevant for supply costs are:

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): A federally funded program that helps qualifying households pay heating and sometimes cooling costs. Contact your local Community Action Agency or visit the state's LIHEAP page to check eligibility and apply.

Utility discount rates: Both Eversource and National Grid offer reduced delivery rates for income-eligible customers under programs managed through the DPU. Enrollment typically requires documentation of household income. Contact your utility directly or ask about the program through your local social services office.

The DPU publishes consumer guidance on income-based programs. For current eligibility thresholds and application details, the DPU website and the LIHEAP program are the authoritative sources.

Several structural factors push Massachusetts rates above the national average. The region's natural gas pipeline capacity is constrained, and because gas-fired plants set the clearing price in New England's wholesale electricity market much of the time, high gas prices translate directly into high electricity supply costs. New England's grid operator, ISO New England, manages a market that is geographically isolated from the lower-cost power available in the Midwest or Southeast.

On top of wholesale costs, Massachusetts has ambitious clean energy mandates, including requirements for renewable portfolio standards and offshore wind procurement. These investments carry costs that are passed through to ratepayers over time, though they are also expected to reduce price volatility as more local renewable generation comes online.

Delivery infrastructure is aging in parts of the state, and utility capital investments are recovered through delivery charges regulated by the DPU. None of these factors are within a typical household's control, but understanding them helps explain why shopping the supply side of your bill is one of the few levers residents actually have.

Massachusetts electricity rates are high, but Basic Service is not your only option. As of July 2026, Eversource's Basic Service sits at about 15.6 cents/kWh and National Grid's at about 15.4 cents/kWh. Competitive suppliers in the state are offering rates as low as approximately 12.4 cents/kWh. The gap is real, and the switching process costs nothing.

Start by pulling your most recent bill to find your current supply rate. Then compare live offers at ElectricRates.org or Energy Switch Massachusetts. If a fixed-rate contract beats what you are paying now and the terms are reasonable, switching takes minutes and your utility service never changes.