Steep increases in energy bills are leading consumers in Democratic-led states to question renewable energy policies that have failed to deliver more reliable, less expensive heat and electricity. [emphasis, links added]
Price hikes in New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts, among other states, have left consumers fuming. Government leaders are scrambling to provide relief as voters threaten to turn against them at the polls for implementing policies primarily blamed for the spike.
“It feels like all of a sudden people woke up,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “I think over time, yes, the blame will be squarely on elected leaders.”
Massachusetts Democrats aim to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
A program encouraging residents to convert from natural gas to electric heat has significantly increased most monthly energy bills, in many cases by double or more.
Massachusetts resident Scott O’Donnell’s electric bill for his 1,100-square-foot ranch home has nearly doubled over last year even though he kept the heat down to 68 degrees.
His $685 bill for February breaks down to $290 for heat and $395 for a “delivery charge” that includes a recently raised fee to fund a program called Mass Save.
The program gives rebates to residents who convert to electric-powered heat, but the cost is passed along to ratepayers.
Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, recently approved a 25% budget increase for the Mass Save program. She has prioritized the elimination of all fossil fuel heating sources in the state.
Utility companies increased the fee to pay for the expanded Mass Save budget, adding to electricity prices that were already among the highest in the nation.
The state has rejected installing natural gas pipelines and new fossil fuel or nuclear power plants. Instead, it imports most of its energy, including liquefied natural gas, at a much higher cost from Canada, Norway, and other countries.
Mr. O’Donnell and other critics of the state’s energy policies blame Ms. Healey for helping block two natural gas pipelines and implementing Mass Save.
Roughly a third of the state’s energy comes from renewable sources, mostly solar.
A major natural gas power plant shuttered in May, and the only state energy projects planned involve renewables, which are intermittent and produce far less energy during the harsh New England winters.
A spokeswoman for Ms. Healey did not respond to an inquiry from The Washington Times.
In a local television news interview, the governor said her administration is not to blame for the higher costs, but she has asked the Department of Public Utilities “to take a look at the rates … and do anything and everything we can as a state to lower heating bills.”
The department ordered energy companies to slash rates by at least 5% in March and April, saving consumers an average of about $15 on each bill.
Read rest at Washington Times
None of these so-called leaders will admit that what they are doing is causing the costs to increase significantly due to trying to power their grid with intermittent sources (aka wind and solar). They are either ignorant or lying through their teeth. Wait until states like Mass and others in the northeast get rid of almost all of their dispatchable electricity (e.g. coal, gas, nuclear) and their grids collapse.
Only a total Idiot would think that ending all use of Fossil Fuels would make the World Better and Cleaner those Useful Idiots brought up on Captiain Planet