Massachusetts House Passes Major Energy Affordability Bill, Rejecting Multiple Minority Amendments

BOSTON — February 26, 2026 — The Massachusetts House advanced a sweeping energy affordability bill Thursday, voting 127-27 to adopt a consolidated amendment to House Bill 5151, "An Act Relative to Energy Affordability, Clean Power, and Economic Competitiveness." Representative Mark J. Cusack of Braintree, chair of the Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee, championed the legislation as a $9 billion ratepayer savings measure over 10 years, including a temporary $1 billion pause in MassSave spending pending an Inspector General review and the return of 70 percent of alternative compliance payments annually to ratepayers. The House defeated three amendments seeking more immediate relief: a 12-month suspension of public benefit energy charges by Representative Kenneth P. Sweezey of Duxbury fell 25-130, a peak-hours billing shift by Representative Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida of Abington failed 26-127, and a propane delivery emergency relief amendment by Representative Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr., fell 25-128. Representative Orlando Ramos of Springfield praised Section 10 of the bill for closing a biomass loophole he said threatened his district with a wood-burning plant in one of the state's highest-asthma communities. Consolidated Amendment A, introduced by Representative Tommy Vitolo of Brookline, added consumer protections for customers on the bill's new default budget billing system for gas customers.