New England governors ask Congress for help with 'drastic rise in energy prices' anticipated

BOSTON - With energy bills expected to skyrocket this winter, all six governors of New England states are pleading with Congress to help residents in need.

National Grid says electricity rates will rise 64% in Massachusetts starting in November, raising the average monthly bill from $179 to $293. With approval from the state's Department of Public Utilities, the price of home heating and natural gas could rise as well. 

The governors are seeking at least $500 million in emergency supplemental funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. They call the program "vitally important to our states," especially to senior households that spend much of their income on energy bills.

"Keeping warm and safe is particularly challenging for low-income households in New England, which has some of the country's oldest homes and a particularly cold winter climate," they wrote in a letter to legislative leaders on the Appropriations committees. "More than any other region of the country, New England households are dependent upon expensive delivered fuels."

To be eligible for LIHEAP a family of four must have an annual household income that is below $41,625, according to the federal government.  

"New England governors deeply appreciate your longstanding support of LIHEAP, and we recognize the difficult fiscal decisions confronting Congress this year," the letter states. "However, with the dramatic rise in energy prices and the additional increase anticipated this winter, we ask that you supplement the annual appropriation to mitigate the effect on our vulnerable populations."