Mass. Utility Proposes Lower Gas Rates

Massachusetts utility NStar is proposing lowering natural gas rates to their lowest level in a decade. WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more…

NStar Gas announced Tuesday that it has submitted a new supply rate proposal that if approved by state regulators would lower the average heating customer's bill by more than $15 a month compared to last year.

The proposed new rate would bill customers 57.32 cents per therm, down 18 percent from last year's price of about 70 cents.

Residential heating customers typically use an average of 131 therms of gas per month between November and May. For most customers, that includes gas used for cooking and water heating.

If approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, the new price would go into effect Nov. 1.

NStar has about 300,000 gas customers in Massachusetts.

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