AG: Residents Who Switched to Competitive Electric Supply Continue to Lose Millions

AG Healey calls for legislation that protects competition while stopping house-to-house sales

By Cape Cod Today Staff 
August 1, 2019

BOSTON – A report released today by Attorney General Maura Healey shows that even while rapid growth of municipal aggregation programs continues to improve choices for electric customers, Massachusetts residents who contract individually with competitive electric suppliers continue to lose millions of dollars per year. With the release of today’s report, AG Healey is renewing her call to stop these companies from making direct solicitations to residential customers.

The AG’s new report, which expands upon her office’s original report on the industry from March 2018, found that Massachusetts electric customers who switched to a competitive electric supplier paid $76.2 million more than if they remained with their existing service during the one-year period from July 2017 to June 2018. This new data brings the total net losses to $253 million for Massachusetts customers over the course of three years (July 2015 – June 2018). The AG’s report also showed that low-income residents and communities of color are disproportionately impacted.

“Our concern remains that too many customers are being falsely promised big savings on their electricity bills and then overcharged month after month,” AG Healey said. “The results of our new report highlight the need for legislation to protect real competition and stop these predatory companies from scamming residents in Massachusetts.”

Read the full article in the Cape Cod Today