Billing Issue Resolved

Fund established with Attorney General to return erroneous fees to 45K former gas customers

March 6, 2018 – WALTHAM, MA. – National Grid signed a settlement today with the Massachusetts Attorney General to address an incorrect charge that a small percentage of residential natural gas customers received. The charge occurred due to a programming error, and affected customers who were disconnected due to nonpayment between November 19, 2010 and November 4, 2016.  The Company previously provided credits totaling $1.6 million to many affected customers.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will establish a Restitution Fund of $2.2 million for the purpose of providing refunds to the remaining 45,100 former customers whom National Grid has been unable to locate.

The Company, following an inquiry by the Department of Public Utilities, determined that 76,747 reconnection fees were incorrectly assessed in the amount of $3.8 million between November 19, 2010 and November 4, 2016. National Grid has corrected the programming error and to date has refunded $1.6 million in the form of credits to 31,647 customer accounts. The Company has attempted to contact the remaining 45,100 former customers, but has been unable to locate them.  National Grid has 908,000 natural gas customers in Massachusetts.

To be eligible for the Restitution Fund, National Grid former gas customers must have:

• Been disconnected for nonpayment between November 19, 2010 and November 4, 2016
• Been incorrectly charged a reconnection fee
• Not received a credit for the mistaken reconnection fee

In order to assess their eligibility, those who meet the above criteria must contact National Grid’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-233-5325 within one year of the date the settlement was signed.

Other components of the settlement include a $3 million payment by National Grid to the Attorney General to be used to assist consumers with paying or lowering their natural gas bills. In addition, the Company will pay $180,000 to the Commonwealth’s General Fund and $20,000 to the Attorney General to offset the costs of the investigation. The Company’s customers are not responsible for any payments associated with the settlement.