LYNN — Residents packed a Utilities Committee meeting Tuesday at City Hall to voice outrage over spiking gas bills and delivery charges. Facing a panel of city councilors and representatives from National Grid, they demanded accountability, transparency, and reform.
The meeting, chaired by Ward 3 Councilor Constantino “Coco” Alinsug, followed months of complaints about steep winter bills and confusing charges.
“People want answers,” Alinsug said. “A lot of us councilors are getting nonstop calls and emails.”
John Prudente, representing National Grid, began by acknowledging the hardship many households are facing. “We recognize and appreciate the burden that higher energy bills have had on our customers,” he said.
Prudente explained that gas bills consist of two parts: supply — the cost of gas with no markup — and delivery, which includes infrastructure expenses and state-mandated programs like Mass Save and low-income assistance.
“This winter, there were multiple factors,” Prudente said. “January was 9.4% colder than the 20-year average, and customers used more gas. At the same time, delivery rates increased due to a rate adjustment approved in November. Most of that was attributable to Mass Save funding and low-income program participation.”
National Grid representative Damaris Dominguez outlined several assistance programs.
“We’re offering a 10 percent reduction on the delivery portion of bills for March and April,” she said. “That cost will be recouped during the lower-usage summer months.”
She also noted a 25 percent discount for income-eligible customers, arrears forgiveness of up to $12,000, and protections for households with seniors, infants, or medical needs.
Despite the offerings, many residents said they weren’t eligible for help, didn’t know how to access it, or felt the benefits were minimal.
Pam Edwards, a member of the Mass Senior Action Council, questioned the value of the Mass Save program and criticized how its cost is embedded in residents’ bills.
“The guy came and gave me six lightbulbs,” she said. “That’s it. I’m paying into this program every month through my bill, and that’s what I get?”
National Grid officials responded that Mass Save participation has surged and that the program’s cost — nearly 27 percent of the delivery charge — is not profit for the company.
“Only about 50 percent of the delivery charge goes to running the gas network,” Prudente said. “It’s not a profit center for us — it’s a pass-through tied to programs the state requires us to offer.”
Calvin Anderson, another longtime resident, described the Mass Save process as bureaucratic and difficult to navigate. After years of trying to get a quote for window replacements, he said, he faced missed appointments and third-party contractor delays.
“Mass Save is a good idea — but not when it’s on the backs of everybody else,” he said. Anderson also urged National Grid to include more usage history in bills to help residents plan. “We need tools to control our consumption,” he said. “We’re creative Yankees — but give us a break.”
Several residents cited examples of confusing or unusually high bills. Peggy Belanger said her usage charge was $174 — but her delivery fee came out to $352. “That’s more than double just to bring the gas to my house,” she said. “We bought this house in 1977. I paid less with oil back then.”
Sheila Valrie said her $700 bill came after a new meter was installed, despite being told she had overpaid for months. “Now suddenly they’re playing catch-up, and I’m left at their mercy,” she said.
Prudente responded that such bills often occur after meter upgrades reveal prior underbilling. “If a customer has been underbilled based on estimates, the new meter will catch that and lead to an adjustment,” he said. “But we can work with those customers individually.”
Mary Sweeney, a longtime subscriber to a community solar farm, asked why more than 16,000 kilowatt-hours of power she generated had never appeared on her account. “Where is that power going?” she asked.
Mario Mina of National Grid clarified that credits are calculated based on dollar value, not kilowatt-hour totals. “If the solar farm generates $100 and your allocation is 1%, we will transfer you $1. The allocation is based on dollars, not kilowatt-hours.”
Sweeney said she appreciated the clarity but was frustrated by how long it took. “I waited years for that answer,” she said.
City councilors echoed many of the concerns raised by residents.
Councilor-at-Large Nicole McClain pressed National Grid on its response to power outages. “People are already paying exorbitant amounts,” she said. “What do they get when the system fails?”
Dominguez responded, “If a storm or failure causes an outage, residents can submit a claim. But there are no automatic credits for outages.”
Ward 1 Councilor Dr. Peter Meaney questioned whether large energy consumers such as tech companies benefited from cheaper rates. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to charge the biggest users more per unit?” he asked.
Prudente said the question would be brought back to National Grid’s regulatory team.
Councilor-at-Large Brian Field took issue with how National Grid handled its winter rate relief. “Why do residents have to opt in for budget billing,” he asked, “but didn’t get to opt into this 10 percent deferment?”
Dominguez said the delivery deferment was a state directive. “This was a statewide policy to temporarily reduce winter burdens,” she said. “It was part of a Department of Public Utilities order.”
Ward 7 Councilor and Council President Jay Walsh pointed to the monopoly-like structure of the utility system. “If you don’t like your oil company, you can switch,” he said. “You can’t do that with National Grid. That’s a problem.”
Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre, attending the meeting as a guest, proposed the most direct response: a formal letter to state officials. “There are almost 25,000 subscribers in our city,” he said. “We want answers, options, and improved communication from National Grid. As the only game in town, our job is to minimize the financial burden that has set so many residents back months.”
LaPierre’s motion to draft a letter to Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and the Department of Public Utilities passed unanimously. The letter will urge the state to adopt the lowest possible residential rate this fall and require that utilities notify customers well in advance of seasonal rate increases. Councilors will coordinate with the city solicitor’s office and circulate the letter to Lynn’s state legislative delegation.
Mayor Jared C. Nicholson also weighed in on the importance of the hearing.
“Gas and electricity are critical utilities for our residents and businesses and mean National Grid plays a key role in our community,” Nicholson said in a statement. “Opportunities like this hearing helpfully complement the work we do every day to both partner and hold them accountable.”
Residents were invited to speak one-on-one with National Grid staff after the meeting. While company representatives emphasized that gas supply is passed through without profit and that delivery rates are capped by state regulators, many in the room remained skeptical.
