Massachusetts could pivot in the direction of affordable and reliable energy by expanding on existing natural gas capacity, according to a new study that says ratepayers could save $367 million per winter. Since many of those same ratepayers are also voters, that’s a figure that should pique their interest.
The Fiscal Alliance Foundation, a nonprofit headquartered in Boston, highlights the benefits of “Project Beacon” in its study released just ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election. The projected savings for homeowners and businesses are enormous. But Massachusetts ratepayers, in particular those who can vote, must pressure political figures to make a clean break with current policies.
What better time than the upcoming elections to do exactly that? The foundation’s study makes a compelling case that Massachusetts could get out in front of some nasty winters if it moves now to address its lack of energy infrastructure. As it is, Bay Staters already pay the fifth-highest electricity prices in the United States at 25 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) with natural gas supplying more than 65 percent of their state’s electricity in a typical year.
Massachusetts residents can’t change their geology, but they can tap into their neighbors; Project Beacon could make nearby resources readily available at greater capacity.
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