Utilities across Massachusetts have filed with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) for rate hikes, most of them pretty steep. In response the DPU has filed an investigation under Docket DPU25-200.
» Questions / Talking Points Sheets for Hearings – English
» Documento de preguntas y puntos de discusión para las audiencias – Español
Berkshire Gas Rate Plan is DPU Docket 25-170
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is conducting three public hearings to receive comments on the petition from The Berkshire Gas Company for an increase in gas base distribution rates. Additional information regarding Berkshire’s proposal and bill impacts for different service areas are available in the Notice – DPU 25-170 Notice of Public Hearing. The proposed rates are suspended while the Department conducts its review of Berkshire’s petition.
- Public Hearing 1:
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 7:00 p.m. | Greenfield Middle School, Auditorium, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield, MA 01301. - Public Hearing 2:
Virtual hearing on Zoom | Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 7:00 p.m. Interpretation is available in Spanish and Mandarin. - Public Hearing 3:
Thursday, February 5, 2026, 7:00 p.m.| Berkshire Community College, Boland Theatre (Koussevitzky Building), 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Interpretation is available in Spanish.
Any person interested in commenting on this matter may submit written comments no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, February 27, 2026. Written comments may be sent by email to dpu.efiling@mass.gov, lauren.morris@mass.gov, and the company’s attorney, bvaughan@keeganwerlin.com.
Brought to special attention by the Attorney General’s Energy and Ratepayer Advocate Division:
The current Berkshire Gas rate case will impact gas bills for residential customers in Western MA. This Mass.gov website displays which Western MA municipalities are in the Berkshire Gas service region.
As listed on the Department of Public Utilities website and in the attached Public Notices, if the rate case is approved, customers may expect the following bill impacts:
- A residential heating customer receiving service under Rate R-3 that uses on average 121 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $53.96 (23.0 percent);
- A residential non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-1 that uses on average 15 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $12.01 (25.2 percent);
- A residential low-income heating customer receiving service under Rate R-4 that uses on average 113 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $37.79 (22.9 percent);
- A residential low-income non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-2 that uses on average 16 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience monthly bill increase of $9.59 (25.6 percent)
As the Commonwealth’s statutory ratepayer advocate, the Attorney General’s Office is intervening in this rate case on behalf of Berkshire Gas customers. Public awareness and participation are also important in these cases.
Docket numbers of other recent rate hike requests:
DPU25-85 Liberty Gas Rate Case
DPU26-50 National Grid/Boston Gas Rate Case
Filed 1/16 8.4% increase; suspension order 1/20; no notice yet
DPU25-133 & DPU25-134Eversource, EGMA & NSTAR, Gas contracts
DPU INVESTIGATION INTO GAS AND ELECTRIC UTILITY RATES
PUBLIC INPUT INSTRUCTIONS:
D.P.U. 25-200
The Department invites all interested persons to participate in this proceeding and provide input on the Department’s review of gas and electric rates to contain customer costs, reduce bill volatility, and to increase electric and gas utility bill transparency and accessibility. The Department seeks written comments from the Distribution Companies and other interested stakeholders responding to any or all of the questions below by 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2026. Reply comments should be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 30, 2026. The Department anticipates significant interest in this proceeding and welcomes comment from a broad range of stakeholders and customers. Therefore, we encourage interested persons to present consensus positions and submit comments jointly, where possible.
All comments should be submitted to the Department in electronic format by e-mail attachment to dpu.efiling@mass.gov and stephanie.mealey@mass.gov. The text of the e-mail must specify: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (D.P.U. 25-200); (2) the name of the person or entity submitting the filing; and (3) indicate that the document is a written comment. The electronic filing should also include the name, title, and telephone number of a person to contact in the event of questions about the filing.
The Department requests comments responding to the following questions:
1. Which reconciling charges should be recovered through base distribution rates and why?
2. Which reconciling charges should be recovered through fixed charges in lieu of volumetric rates and why?
3. Volumetric pricing creates strong incentives for conservation and energy efficiency; however, volumetric pricing of electricity tends to discourage the electrification of heating and transportation. Please comment on the merits of fixed charges in lieu of volumetric charges to incentivize electrification, including the range of impacts that customers would experience, and in particular, how fixed charges increase bill impacts for low-use customers.
4. If fixed charges replace volumetric pricing, what other policies are necessary and appropriate to continue to incentivize conservation and energy efficiency or to mitigate bill increases for low-use customers?
5. Please comment on the merits of shifting current volumetric reconciling charges into base distribution rates. As part of these comments, please discuss the equity implications of reducing volumetric reconciling charges in favor of base distribution rates or fixed charges.
6. For purposes of ensuring affordability during peak periods, should the Department set thresholds or other standards to require lower rates in the peak periods (i.e., winter for gas) and higher rates in the off–peak periods? Please refer to the LDCs’ recent deferrals of some costs to the off–peak period during the 2024-2025 winter season.45
7. What other legislative or regulatory changes, if any, are necessary to ensure that gas and electric rates are affordable and aligned with the Commonwealth’s energy policies?
8. Should the Department set thresholds to reduce periodic bill volatility? What should the thresholds be? Over what periods of time?
9. Should the Department modify the timing of bill changes to reduce volatility or to serve other policy objectives?
10. Should the Department reform net metering values or structures for excess distributed generation to increase customer affordability?46 If so, how? Please identify examples from other jurisdictions where instructive.
11. What other policies should the Department evaluate to reduce bill volatility?
» See DPU Order – This has full information on investigation, request for comments on Page 18
» See DPU web page about investigation, for a plain language summary
Docket numbers of other recent rate hike requests:
- DPU26-50 National Grid/Boston Gas Rate Case
Filed 1/16 8.4% increase; suspension order 1/20; no notice yet - DPU25-133 & DPU25-134 Eversource, EGMA & NSTAR, Gas contracts
- DPU25-85 Liberty Gas Rate Case
You can look up any DPU docket at the DPU File Room for more info.