National Grid grants $405K for Central Mass. energy relief

Photo | Grant Welker National Grid is awarding grants totally out $17 million to various local groups throughout Massachusetts and New York for people who need assistance in paying off their electricity bills.

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By Kevin Koczwara

Utility company National Grid has dispersed $1 million in grants to Massachusetts nonprofits as part of its winter bill relief program for residential customers. The United Way of Central Massachusetts received $405,000 in utility assistance to hand out.

In September, National Grid announced it will give out $17 million to partners and communities in Massachusetts and New York to help customers who need assistance. The utility told the Worcester Business Journal there is still $16 million left to dole out, but it wanted to start getting money into the hands of groups that can help customers right away and that this was the first effort to do so.

“These funds will be a big help for many families struggling this winter,” Tim Garvin, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, said in the Tuesday press release announcing the $1 million in grants. “We appreciate the long-standing partnership we’ve had with National Grid to provide critical assistance to people in need. United Way partners with community action programs, who have expertise in getting critical funds to people who need them. They also have access to state and federal resources to provide energy assistance to people across Massachusetts.”

The relief package comes on a planned price hike. In September, National Grid requested a residential rate increase of 64% compared to the same time in 2020. The utility company said the hike is due to the increased cost of natural gas due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The rise in price is not a service increase imposed by National Grid but due to the increased cost of electricity coming from power plants due to the ongoing war and the disruption it is having on the global fuel market, according to National Grid.

“The impacts of the global energy crisis will be felt across Massachusetts this winter and will undoubtedly affect more customers than ever before,” Stephen Woerner, president of National Grid, New England, said in a press release. “This new grant funding is one of many ways we are committed to reaching every corner of the state to provide additional support to our valued customers this winter. I am grateful to our strong community partners for helping us make this happen.”

Damaris Dominguez, chief consumer advocate across Massachusetts and the vice chairman of the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund, people are enrolled in a price reduction plan of 32% discount automatically if they already receive SNAP, WIC and/or MassHealth, as well as other benefits. That is something people need to check on their bill because automatic enrollment should happen, but might not appear.

People looking for assistance can call 211 for assistance. The hotline is run by the United Way. Customers can also contact the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund. Customers interested in applying for assistance can find which community action program is near them by visiting the Massachusetts Association for Community Action website. Applications for assistance begin on Nov. 1 and run through April 30.