PROVIDENCE, RI – Rhode Islanders should pay less for their electric bill this summer after the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC) approved a recent rate proposal for Last Resort Service (LRS) from National Grid. This decreased rate applies to those customers who utilize National Grid’s “Last Resort” supply service.

For residential customers, the new base LRS “summer rate” approved by the RIPUC is 7.237 cents/kWh, a decrease from the current base LRS rate of 9.568 cents/kWh, a 2.331 cents/kWh decrease. The impact of the new Residential LRS rate on the monthly bill for a residential customer using 500 kWh a month is a decrease of $12.14, or 10.1%. For commercial customers, which included ‘Small Commercial & Industrial’ customers, the rates are expected to go from the current rate of 8.150 cents/kWh to 5.667 cents/kWh, a 2.483 cents/kWh decrease, and monthly bill decreases are expected to range from 9.7% to just over 12%, depending on a customer’s usage.

“We are pleased that our customers will be able to benefit from lower electricity supply rates this summer,” said Terry Sobolewski, President of National Grid Rhode Island. “However, we remain extremely sensitive to the economic challenges many of our customers are facing for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, we have increased our efforts to educate customers about the many payment programs available to them since the start of the pandemic. We want to give our customers peace of mind by helping them immediately with the unique challenges they may be facing."

The new LRS rates, approved by the RIPUC, are effective for residential and commercial customers from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021, and for industrial customers are effective from April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021. The electricity supply or LRS rates represent the cost at which National Grid buys electricity and delivers it to its customers without a mark-up. The LRS electricity supply rates are adjusted twice a year at the discretion of the PUC for residential and small and medium business customers and are determined by the market, not National Grid.

“We remain focused on balancing the commitments of affordability, reliability, and safety for our customers as they face the real hardships brought on by the COVID-19 crisis,” Sobolewski said. “While we can’t control the cost of the energy supply, we want our customers to take advantage of managing their bills during the pandemic.”

Customers facing challenges paying their utility bills, are encouraged to explore the following programs by visiting www.ngrid.com/billhelp  or calling 1.800.322.3223:

• Budget Billing
• COVID-19 Payment Agreement – which allows customers to avoid the risk of disconnection by paying any overdue balance over time with no penalty and no money down
• Residential Low-Income Discount rate classes - for eligible residential customers, offering a 25% or 30% discount off of a residential customer’s total bill
• Arrearage Management Program – offers eligible low-income customers arrearage forgiveness up to $1,500 annually

Final LRS rates were approved on March 29, 2021 when the RIPUC ruled on the proposed base LRS rates. The Commission also ruled on rates associated with National Grid’s Electric and Gas Infrastructures Safety and Reliability Plans, the Annual Retail Rate filing, and the Renewable Energy Standard Charge.  When looking at the cumulative electric monthly bill impact of all the rates, the vast majority of customers will see a decrease in their electric bill. A residential Last Resort Service customer who uses 500 kilowatt-hours a month would see a decrease of $10.11 on their monthly bill which amounts to a 8.4% decrease. 

What Else Can Customers Do to Better Manage their Energy Costs?

The best way for customers to try and decrease their bills and prepare for adjustments is by becoming more energy efficient in their energy use year-round. For example, replacing a minimum of five incandescent lights with ENERGY STAR ® light bulbs could provide a typical savings of $9 a month and help offset seasonal increases. Simply recycling or getting rid of an older or second refrigerator could save customers $23 a month. Customers can visit www.ngrid.com/shop for energy efficient and smart home products while receiving instant rebates exclusive to National Grid customers. The site offers products like ENERGY STAR ® LED  light bulbs, water saving showerheads, smart thermostats and more – which can help customers conveniently lower their energy use. For more tips on how to lower your energy bills, customers can go visit: www.ngrid.com/save. National Grid also offers many programs to help customers manage their costs:

When it comes to the supply portion of the bill, most customers also have the option to choose from a variety of competitive electricity suppliers. Customers can perform their due diligence and explore other supplier options at www.ri.gov/empowerri or on our website at www.nationalgridus.com. Regardless of a customer’s chosen supplier, National Grid will continue to deliver reliable electricity, respond to service and emergency needs and provide storm restoration services.

About National Grid

About National Grid: National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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