AG pushes to eliminate electric suppliers, following $525M consumer overpayment report

Photo | Courtesy Andrea Campell's campaign website Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell

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By State House News Service | Alison Kuznitz

Competitive electric suppliers that purport to offer cheaper rates while in reality costing Massachusetts residents hundreds of dollars each year could be thwarted by Attorney General Andrea Campbell and lawmakers this session.

In a radio interview Friday, Campbell affirmed her support for legislation filed by Rep. Frank Moran and Sen. Brendan Crighton (H 3196 / S 2106) to "do away" with the electric supply market for individual residential consumers.

Campbell, who signed onto the proposals in January, released a report this week that found competitive suppliers over the last six years forced people to pay $525 million more on their electric bills than they would have if they had stuck with utility companies. Boston residents who signed up directly with suppliers collectively lost about $980,000 in September 2021, according to the report.

"Vulnerable residents are really being preyed upon by these competitive electric suppliers each year," Campbell said on GBH's Boston Public Radio. "These are the companies that go in banging on your door, that maybe follow you when you're leaving your house to the car to get you to sign up -- sometimes they have been found to sign people up and transfer them from their traditional utility company without their knowledge."

The legislation -- which is awaiting a hearing before the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy -- would block suppliers, energy marketers and energy brokers from establishing new contracts with individual residential customers.

Campbell's office could pursue legal action against companies that violate the law.

Campbell, who followed in former AG Maura Healey's footsteps in supporting the bills, said her office lacks the resources to swiftly investigate and "go after" electric suppliers.

"This is disproportionately targeting residents and Gateway (Cities) communities as far as Springfield, Berkshire County, as well as low-income residents, residents of color and immigrant communities," Campbell said. "Enough is enough with this market."