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Healy outlines energy-affordability push, regional imports and infrastructure constraints
Summary
Governor Maura Healey said the administration is pursuing legislation and regional coordination to lower energy costs, citing a recently arranged 1,200 megawatt hydro import from Canada and arguing tariffs on materials raise infrastructure costs; she also defended use of multiple energy sources while critics point to policy-driven price effects.
Governor Maura Healey used a press briefing to reiterate that lowering energy costs is a top administration priority and to describe both near-term and longer-term steps the state is pursuing.
Healy said the administration has filed an energy-affordability bill and pointed to earlier state actions that she said removed roughly $6,000,000,000 from consumers' bills. She described regional coordination with other governors and energy officials to accelerate new energy supply into New England and cited a near-term import of about 1,200 megawatts of clean hydroelectric power from Canada as "good news" for the region.
Healy criticized tariffs on aluminum, steel and lumber, saying they increase the cost of building energy infrastructure and slow projects that could bring additional supply online. She said the state supports an "all-of-the-above" approach — including wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and gas — and has signaled support for Eversource's filing to increase gas capacity into the state.
On oversight and consumer protection, Healy noted the Department of Public Utilities has rejected some rate increases and ordered and extended the moratorium on shutoffs to protect households. She also said Secretary Rebecca Tepper and state energy teams have been charged with continuing work on reducing energy costs.
Reporter exchanges: Reporters asked whether state policy was the primary driver of price increases; Healy disagreed and said multiple factors — including federal tariffs and the costs of resilience spending for storms and flooding — contribute to price pressures. She also acknowledged that some elements of state legislation will take longer to implement and that the administration will continue working with the legislature and stakeholders.
Next steps: Healy said the administration will continue pursuing legislation, convening regional partners to accelerate supply, and pressing federal officials where policy or revenue actions affect project timelines.
