How an energy efficiency program in Mass. became so politicized
Call it the age of the ratepayer revolt. As gas and electric bills soared over the last year and a half, people across Massachusetts have been looking for someone, or something, to blame.
Most people didn’t notice the rate hike at first because the weather wasn’t particularly cold, said Kyle Murray, Massachusetts program director at the Acadia Center, a clean energy advocacy group.
That also meant people were spending more on Mass Save — because like most charges on energy bills, the more gas or electricity you use, the more you pay.
“All of a sudden, overnight, people start having these super high bills,” Murray said. “And I think that’s where things kind of go off the rails.”
As the 2025 winter heating season ended, and the weather got warmer, there was less focus on Mass Save, said Murray of the Acadia Center. But last September, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio released a damning report about the program that immediately reignited criticism.
To read the full article from wbur, click here.