Don’t treat natural gas addiction with new pipelines

Massachusetts and New England are dangerously addicted to natural gas. We got addicted because gas burns cleaner than oil and coal and is cheap most of the year. But our need for gas is becoming increasingly problematic as competition for limited supplies on cold days causes energy prices to spike. And the problem is getting worse. National Grid and NSTAR – the Commonwealth’s largest utilities – are increasing Massachusetts electric prices by 37 percent and 29 percent, respectively, to account for higher prices from gas-fired power plants in winter months.