A recent report from the Retail Energy Advancement League states that as of Friday, Aug. 1 electric utility rates will be rising when it comes to the Eversource and National Grid power companies, among others.
"As the summer heat continues and air conditioner usage remains in high demand, consumers can expect to see increases in their August electric bill," according to a report from the Retail Energy Advancement League (REAL).
The report continues, "Aside from adjusting the thermostat and using less electricity, the easiest way consumers can reduce their electric costs is by shopping for a retail electric supply product that is priced less than the utility rate."
Here's what to know.
How much are rates increasing at Eversource, National Grid?
"Electric utility rates for most Massachusetts customers will increase on Aug. 1, rising from $13.4 to $14.8 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in Eversource’s service territory and from $14.7 to $15.4 cents/kWh in National Grid territory," a statement from REAL says. "Unitil, which serves electric customers in just four Massachusetts municipalities, is the only utility in the state that will reduce its rates this summer."
Unitil serves the towns of Ashby, Fitchburg, Lunenburg and Townsend.
Shop for the supply portion of your electric bill
In Massachusetts, customers can shop for the supply portion of their electric bill, according to REAL.
"More than 400,000 Massachusetts residents shop for their electricity individually to earn better rates, receive 100% renewable energy or enroll in a plan that is conducive to their lifestyle," a release from REAL states. "Another roughly 1 million residents are enrolled in municipal aggregation plans, in which municipalities bundle their residents into a single plan served by a competitive supplier."
REAL explained online that in July, the state’s electric supply shopping website (www.energyswitchma.gov) "listed 58 fixed-rate offers from competitive energy suppliers that were less than the standard supply rate offered by utility companies — even before the August rate increases.
"The average July rate for competitive energy supply offers was 12.06 cents/kWh, while the average July utility rate was 13.61 cents/kWh. Customers who shop for the lowest competitive energy supply offer can save over 20 percent on their electric bill. For a residential customer who uses 1,000 kWh of electricity a month, their potential monthly savings would be $30."
The company added that a total of "245 competitive electric supply offers were available in July. Customers had 109 100% green energy supply offers to choose from."
Where can people learn more?
Massachusetts residents can review offers from competitive energy suppliers using the state shopping website EnergySwitchMA.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: As utility rates go up, REAL suggests going green. What to know
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