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<v Speaker 1>It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS cost In Radio.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you very much, Al Griffith. As we moved through

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<v Speaker 2>this Friday evening, it's now nine oh seven, nine oh eight, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>something like that. I don't have what they call studio clocks,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, back when I'm in the control room back

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<v Speaker 2>in the day, you have these big studio clocks. They

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<v Speaker 2>aren't like down to the milliseconds, so you always know

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<v Speaker 2>exactly what it is. What time do you have, Rob,

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<v Speaker 2>I got nine oh seven. What do you got nine

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<v Speaker 2>o eight? Okay, me too, Yeah, we did just say ninaweight.

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<v Speaker 2>You're absolutely right. Look I'm looking at the clock right now,

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<v Speaker 2>nine oh eight in about six seconds. All right. Look,

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<v Speaker 2>we have talked on this program for many years about

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<v Speaker 2>the cost of energy here in New England. As a

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<v Speaker 2>matter of fact, we talked just this past week with

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<v Speaker 2>the former EPA director for Region one, Dave Cash, about

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<v Speaker 2>that very topic. And there's some factors that drive the

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<v Speaker 2>cost of energy here in the Northeast. We're kind of

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<v Speaker 2>at the end of a lot of pipelines. We come

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<v Speaker 2>from a part of the country where it turns cold

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<v Speaker 2>sometime in November and it stays cold well into maybe

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<v Speaker 2>April and early May, and so we still have a

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<v Speaker 2>few more weeks of winter even though the calendar says

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<v Speaker 2>it's spring. And so I discovered several years ago this

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<v Speaker 2>wonderful website here in Massachusetts. It's called energy Switch Massachusetts.

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<v Speaker 2>It's mass energy rates dot com. And believe it or not,

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<v Speaker 2>some of our progressive politicians in Massachusetts want to take

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<v Speaker 2>that website down. With me is Abbie Foster. She's the

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<v Speaker 2>vice president of policy and advocacy for a group called

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<v Speaker 2>the Retail Advancement Energy League called Real Abby, welcome back

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<v Speaker 2>to Nightside. How are you.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm good, Dan, Thanks for having us again.

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<v Speaker 2>Yep. Absolutely, You're always welcome here. And what I'm trying

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<v Speaker 2>to figure out is we've gone through a real I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know, first of all, if you're famil with, we've

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<v Speaker 2>had a bump and energy prices here in New England

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<v Speaker 2>and there are some reasons for that. Obviously, it was

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<v Speaker 2>a cold January and February, and it's been a relatively

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<v Speaker 2>cold March, not as bad, but energy prices have gone up.

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<v Speaker 2>The Department of Public Utilities in November gave the major

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<v Speaker 2>energy companies here in Massachusetts a very generous rate increases.

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<v Speaker 2>Are you familiar with the background to this story why

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<v Speaker 2>people up here are really feeling it this winter?

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<v Speaker 3>I am, And so we represent the suppliers where customers

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<v Speaker 3>can shop for the one portion of their bill where

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<v Speaker 3>they actually have options on the generation and supply. But

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of those costs that were increasing this winter,

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<v Speaker 3>or distribution costs, and that's not something customers can shock.

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<v Speaker 2>For, right. No, I understand that. I understand this, you

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<v Speaker 2>know very clearly. But what happened was and just to

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<v Speaker 2>kind of set this up, we have three DPU commissioners

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<v Speaker 2>in Massachusetts. All of them should resign, okay, because in March,

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<v Speaker 2>when finally Governor Healey realized the scope of the problem

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<v Speaker 2>that people's bills had just literally gone through the roof,

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<v Speaker 2>she and her commissioners, I guess, asked the energy companies

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<v Speaker 2>up here, the main suppliers, which would be ever source

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<v Speaker 2>National Grid in UNITIL, to reduce energy prices the bills

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<v Speaker 2>in March and April by five percent, with the understanding

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<v Speaker 2>that they could recoup those five percent reductions during the

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<v Speaker 2>summer months when energy levels are lower with interest. So

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<v Speaker 2>it wasn't much of a break for the consumers. If

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<v Speaker 2>you get my drift, and the Governor when she talked

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<v Speaker 2>about it earlier this month, she was pretty proud of it. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>so let me just play a little bit of Governor

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<v Speaker 2>Maura Healy just to make sure that we're in the

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<v Speaker 2>that we're both on the same page. And then I

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<v Speaker 2>want to talk specifically about what your group does and

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<v Speaker 2>I want to make people understand how they can get

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<v Speaker 2>their supply charges lower here in Massachusetts. So this is

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<v Speaker 2>Governor Healy touting her plans and cut number thirty four,

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<v Speaker 2>please rob cut thirty four.

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<v Speaker 4>Look around the country, Okay. People have seen their heating

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<v Speaker 4>mills go through the roof. Families are feeling it, businesses

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<v Speaker 4>are feeling it all around the country.

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<v Speaker 5>I'm proud to be here today to tell you that

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<v Speaker 5>we're taking action as a state.

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<v Speaker 6>Okay.

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<v Speaker 5>Several weeks ago, I charged my team.

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<v Speaker 4>I said, what can we do to drive down people's

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<v Speaker 4>heating costs? Because people, especially the last month or two,

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<v Speaker 4>were absolutely flabbergasted by what they got in the mail.

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<v Speaker 4>And there are different reasons for that, but my goal

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<v Speaker 4>was to make sure we were exploring every single thing

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<v Speaker 4>that we could do as a state government, not as

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<v Speaker 4>a utility, but as a state government to drive down

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<v Speaker 4>people's bills.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, that's a forty nine second SoundBite, Abby, and there's

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<v Speaker 2>not a lot of specifics with that. But the governor

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<v Speaker 2>followed up and this is a shorter sound bite, which

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<v Speaker 2>again is kind of mystifying to me, but I want

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<v Speaker 2>you to hear the governor's words. First. This is cut

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<v Speaker 2>thirty three. Please Rob.

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<v Speaker 4>We estimate that these steps, taken together, will save Massachusetts

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<v Speaker 4>residents five point eight billion dollars over the next five years.

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<v Speaker 4>Almost six billion dollars. We're going to save money back

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<v Speaker 4>to you over the next five years.

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<v Speaker 2>Still hasn't been explained to us how that's going to happen. However,

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<v Speaker 2>what did happen, Abbey, And I just want you to

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<v Speaker 2>understand that we've followed this story and it's been very frustrating.

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<v Speaker 2>So the governor instructed her staff to go to the

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<v Speaker 2>energy companies and give this five percent increase on the bill,

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<v Speaker 2>five percent, one out of twenty dollars. The DPU ordered

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<v Speaker 2>the companies reduce your rates by five percent on the

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<v Speaker 2>next bills in March and April. National Grid ever source

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<v Speaker 2>and I think Unitil as well said to the TPU

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<v Speaker 2>five percent. We'll reduce them by ten percent. It was insane,

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<v Speaker 2>but so so then the governor took credit for that.

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<v Speaker 2>And this is the last SoundBite, and then we'll talk

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<v Speaker 2>to you. I just want you to give you the

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<v Speaker 2>sense here the politicians talk about gas lighting. Here we

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<v Speaker 2>go cut thirty six rough.

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<v Speaker 6>Here's what I wanted to tell you.

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<v Speaker 4>A few weeks ago, I told the Department of Public

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<v Speaker 4>Utilities to act to lower costs. After we pushed on that,

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<v Speaker 4>we got a ten percent cut for gas bills.

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<v Speaker 6>In March and in April. We are glad about that.

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<v Speaker 4>Okay, so people are going to see ten percent off

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<v Speaker 4>starting March and April.

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<v Speaker 6>But we're not stopping there.

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<v Speaker 4>I also wanted to announce today, as part of our

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<v Speaker 4>energy affordability Agenda, a few things.

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<v Speaker 6>First, we want to put cash back in people's pockets,

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<v Speaker 6>some immediate relief.

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<v Speaker 4>So on April, in your electric bill, you will now

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<v Speaker 4>be getting a credit back of fifty dollars.

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<v Speaker 5>I know that's not a ton of money compared to

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<v Speaker 5>what people have been.

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<v Speaker 4>Paying, but it is something. It is something, and every

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<v Speaker 4>dollar counts so abby.

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<v Speaker 2>The point is, they asked the DPU commissioners, who are

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<v Speaker 2>appointed by the state, asked the major energy companies unitil At,

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<v Speaker 2>Eversas and National Grid to give them a five percent cut,

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<v Speaker 2>and the companies said, we'll do more than a five percent.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll give you a ten percent cut. And the government

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<v Speaker 2>has sort of taken credit for it. And by the way,

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<v Speaker 2>they're going to recoup that cut that cut. Is this

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<v Speaker 2>going on in other states around the Union? I feel

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<v Speaker 2>like it's it's it's a strange political game that that

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<v Speaker 2>were that we're being subjected to. Or am I am

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<v Speaker 2>I just too cynical?

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<v Speaker 3>You're not too cynical. I think I think it's really

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<v Speaker 3>good for you to look at when someone says that

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<v Speaker 3>there's a free meal, who's paying for it? And see

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<v Speaker 3>where where it's coming from.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm famil I am familiar with the acronym ton staffel.

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<v Speaker 2>You're familiar with that acronym, are you not? Don Staffel?

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<v Speaker 3>Tell me about it.

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<v Speaker 2>There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. That's

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<v Speaker 2>time STI I think they go, oh, go ahead, go ahead.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's I think it's good for people to

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<v Speaker 3>want to understand that we haven't seen the legislation truly

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<v Speaker 3>that's coming from the Affordability initiative that the governor has announced,

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<v Speaker 3>but from what has been introduced to discuss so far,

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<v Speaker 3>there's really no actual savings that we've seen that can

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<v Speaker 3>come to customers that aren't coming from other customers or

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<v Speaker 3>other programs that are customer funded and so or have

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<v Speaker 3>to be reimbursed later, and so it's not truly a discount.

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<v Speaker 3>One of the benefits of having options to shop is

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<v Speaker 3>when the rates are changing and you have enrolled in

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<v Speaker 3>a fixed rate contract. If the market is volatile, our

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<v Speaker 3>prices are going up. The person who loses their shirt

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<v Speaker 3>is a supplier because they've offered you a fixed rate.

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<v Speaker 3>And so the only way to really save in a

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<v Speaker 3>market like this when you have competition is to use

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<v Speaker 3>competition to your benefit. Look at your options, choose your

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<v Speaker 3>lowest fixed rate offer, and enroll in that. And unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 3>we've tried to talk about education and the need for

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<v Speaker 3>that in Massachusetts, but there hasn't been much done on

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<v Speaker 3>the state's part to inform customers of their options and

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<v Speaker 3>how to leverage competition in the market to work for

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<v Speaker 3>them to save money.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, here's the deal. In Massachusetts. The governor and the

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<v Speaker 2>Attorney General want to take down the energy switch, the

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<v Speaker 2>mass Energy rate site. I'm not sure if you're aware

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<v Speaker 2>of that or not, but the site here in Massachusetts,

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<v Speaker 2>and if anyone out there is sitting in front of

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<v Speaker 2>their computer, all they have to do if they want

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<v Speaker 2>to understand what I'm talking about is go to mass

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<v Speaker 2>energy rates dot Com. And this was a reform that

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<v Speaker 2>was put in about thirty years ago here in Massachusetts.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's pretty simple. I'm on the site right now.

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<v Speaker 2>All you have to do mass Energy rates dot Com.

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<v Speaker 2>You select you utility, whether it's National Grid, ever Source

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<v Speaker 2>or UNITIL. In my case it's ever Source, is who

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<v Speaker 2>I get my electricity from, and then it says select

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<v Speaker 2>your account type and there's three choices residential, commercial, large commercial,

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<v Speaker 2>obviously we're talking residential. And at that point they ask

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<v Speaker 2>you to view the rates and you now have a

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<v Speaker 2>plethora of rates, you know, some nine months, some six months,

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<v Speaker 2>some twenty four months, some twelve months, all sorts of

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<v Speaker 2>different rates, and they also tell you what the current

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<v Speaker 2>ever source residential rate is. So the ever source rate

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<v Speaker 2>has actually has actually come down a little bit, which

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<v Speaker 2>I'm very happy to see, but there that has also

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<v Speaker 2>driven down the rates of some I'm with Constellation Energy

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<v Speaker 2>and it's down to eleven point nineteen cents. So this

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<v Speaker 2>mass energy rates website is forcing the rates down, and

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<v Speaker 2>yet our governor and our Attorney general wants to take

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<v Speaker 2>this energy rates site down. Are you aware of that?

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<v Speaker 3>I am, And it's unfortunately it's not just even taking

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<v Speaker 3>the site down, it's actually closing the market so that

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<v Speaker 3>suppliers these offers that you're looking at, Constellation for example,

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<v Speaker 3>that you're enrolled with, they would no longer be able

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<v Speaker 3>to sell electricity to customers and operate in the market,

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<v Speaker 3>and so customers would only have the utility to buy

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<v Speaker 3>their supply from, or if they have municipal aggregation in

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<v Speaker 3>their town, they would only have that as the option,

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<v Speaker 3>and that.

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<v Speaker 7>Would be it.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, we're going to try to explain that and make

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<v Speaker 2>people understand that the that this this this mass energy

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<v Speaker 2>rates forcing is actually forcing ever source in national grid

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<v Speaker 2>to become more competitive, which is which is a good thing.

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<v Speaker 2>My guest is Abby Foster. Abby is a vice president

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<v Speaker 2>of Policy and Advocacy for the Retail Advancement Energy League.

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<v Speaker 2>If you have any question about energy, feel free to

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<v Speaker 2>join our conversation six one, seven, two, five, four, ten,

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<v Speaker 2>thirty six, one, seven, nine three one, ten thirty. Now again,

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<v Speaker 2>you may have parents who are older than you who

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<v Speaker 2>might not be as comfortable with computers as you are,

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<v Speaker 2>So this is something you want to make sure your

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<v Speaker 2>parents are aware of as well or your grandparents, and

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<v Speaker 2>everybody should be aware of it. It's as simple as that.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to take a break. I'm going to be

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<v Speaker 2>back with Abby Foster, vice president of Policy and Advocacy

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<v Speaker 2>for the Retail Advancement Energy League, talking about mass energy

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<v Speaker 2>rates dot com and why we need to have that

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<v Speaker 2>in my opinion, and keep it and not allow the

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<v Speaker 2>politicians to take away something that actually helps us save money.

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<v Speaker 2>Back on Nightside right after.

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<v Speaker 1>This, you're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ

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<v Speaker 1>Boston's news radio.

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<v Speaker 2>We're talking about energy rates in Massachusetts gas electric. All

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<v Speaker 2>of us rely on that here in a cool weather

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<v Speaker 2>part of the country. Our political leaders here have often

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<v Speaker 2>fought against extensions of natural gas pipelines into New England.

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<v Speaker 2>Why have our leaders not been welcoming to the idea

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<v Speaker 2>of more natural gas pipelines? Abby?

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<v Speaker 3>In your opinion, oh man, Well, in New England, I

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<v Speaker 3>think a lot of the legislators the renewable energy standards

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<v Speaker 3>have always been a priority. Unfortunately, there's not a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of generation in state in the New England states, and

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<v Speaker 3>there's small states. There's not a lot of geographical area

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<v Speaker 3>for what's necessary to hit the renewable portfolio standard goals

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<v Speaker 3>for wind and full or things like that. And right

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<v Speaker 3>now you just don't have enough of the energy to

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<v Speaker 3>balance out intermittent resources that don't aren't available all the

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<v Speaker 3>time when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing,

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<v Speaker 3>and so you still need that kind of backup energy.

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<v Speaker 3>And so you know, those are political decisions and people

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<v Speaker 3>have voted for those political officers to be in office,

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<v Speaker 3>and that's, you know, the will of the people.

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<v Speaker 2>I may ask you some questions that you don't know

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<v Speaker 2>the answer to it, and I'm not looking for specific answers,

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<v Speaker 2>but are the rates the energy rates here in New

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<v Speaker 2>England generally obviously different parts of the country During the winter,

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<v Speaker 2>obviously probably the energy rates in places like Arizona are

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<v Speaker 2>not exorbitant because they don't have the cold weather in

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<v Speaker 2>most parts of Arizona that we have in the summertime,

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<v Speaker 2>they may have rates higher because they have to rely

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<v Speaker 2>on air conditioning, but as a whole how would you

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<v Speaker 2>say that the cost of energy of heating your home

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<v Speaker 2>or providing electricity in your home in New England compares

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<v Speaker 2>to other parts of the country.

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<v Speaker 3>Massachusetts have some of the highest electric rates in the country.

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<v Speaker 3>Some of that is related to, as I noted, the

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<v Speaker 3>renewable portfolio standards, so also one of the highest in

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<v Speaker 3>the country in Massachusetts. Forever amount of every bit of

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<v Speaker 3>electricity that you get, whether it's supplied by the utility

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<v Speaker 3>or the supplier, sixty three percent of that has to

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<v Speaker 3>come from certain renewable energy sources located within New England.

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<v Speaker 7>And then we.

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<v Speaker 3>Actually just did this past week an education event at

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<v Speaker 3>the Capitol at the State House with Bob Rio who

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<v Speaker 3>developed a platform called What's in My Electric Bill that

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<v Speaker 3>looks at what are the different parts of your electric

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<v Speaker 3>bill and what is on your electric bill and why

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<v Speaker 3>you're being charged at whether it was caused by legislation

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<v Speaker 3>being passed, or whether it's distribution costs from the utility

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<v Speaker 3>for the polls and wires or for the supply from

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<v Speaker 3>your supplier. And almost a third of your electric bill

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<v Speaker 3>comes from policy decisions, So the legislature passing something to

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<v Speaker 3>require the funding for electric vehicle programs, energy efficiency extra

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<v Speaker 3>programs that are required to be added to your bill.

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<v Speaker 3>But again, you know you've you've elected those elected officials.

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<v Speaker 3>They're acting on your behalf, and so if you have

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<v Speaker 3>any concerns about that, you should reach out to them and.

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<v Speaker 7>Let them know.

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<v Speaker 2>Right. But the elected officials in Massachusetts are almost uniformally unresponsive.

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<v Speaker 2>We have a state Senate which is eighty percent democratic.

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<v Speaker 2>We have a state House, which is a House of Representatives,

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<v Speaker 2>which is about eighty percent democratic. The Republicans are they're

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<v Speaker 2>not even competitive minorities. I mean to be a competitive

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<v Speaker 2>minority every once in a while. I mean in the

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<v Speaker 2>US Senate, for example, I think most people know it's

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<v Speaker 2>fifty three forty seven, and that's on some issues that

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<v Speaker 2>can be really competitive. And the Republicans, even though they're

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<v Speaker 2>in the majority, have to make some form of compromise

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<v Speaker 2>or concessions. Up here, No compromise, no concessions, And we

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<v Speaker 2>tend to just return people to office time election after

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<v Speaker 2>election after election. Why do the political leaders, and I'm

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<v Speaker 2>talking now about the governor and the attorney general want

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<v Speaker 2>to take down this site, the mass energy rates site.

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<v Speaker 2>I assume you're familiar with that, and I want to

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<v Speaker 2>take a break for news, but i'd like to get

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<v Speaker 2>your response on that on the other side, and also

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<v Speaker 2>get some phone calls from my listeners as to what

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<v Speaker 2>they specifically need to do to maybe get these energy

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<v Speaker 2>bills down a little bit. I hope you'll be able

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<v Speaker 2>to respond to some of those questions. So if you

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<v Speaker 2>can stay with us to a newscast Abby at the

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<v Speaker 2>bottom of the ar, we'll be right back in about

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<v Speaker 2>four minutes. Okay, great, Okay, Back with Abbie Foster. She's

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<v Speaker 2>vice president of the Retail Advancement Energy League, which is

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<v Speaker 2>working very hard to keep your energy prices down. The

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<v Speaker 2>cost that you pay every month for whatever energy you have. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>if you're living in a home that doesn't have electricity

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<v Speaker 2>and you're lighting by candles, good luck. If you're living

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<v Speaker 2>in a house that is you're not using heat and

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<v Speaker 2>you're only using you know, burning wood in a fireplace,

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<v Speaker 2>there aren't many of you who are doing that. Most

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<v Speaker 2>of us are paying electric and natural gas bills or

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<v Speaker 2>some form bill every month. And this is an important

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<v Speaker 2>conversation and I would love to have you participate. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten,

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<v Speaker 2>thirty six one seven nine three, one, ten thirty. Coming

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<v Speaker 2>right back right after this on Night Side.

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<v Speaker 1>With Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, welcome back. My guess is Abbie Foster. She

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<v Speaker 2>is the vice president of an organization called the Retail

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<v Speaker 2>Advancement Energy League. We're talking about energy rates here in

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<v Speaker 2>Massachusetts and in New England for that matter, and maybe

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<v Speaker 2>even in New York and Pennsylvania and New Jersey anywhere

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<v Speaker 2>in the coldest part of the region. Are you familiar, Abby,

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<v Speaker 2>with the stated intention of the political leaders here in

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<v Speaker 2>Massachusetts to take down the mass energy rates dot com website.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah. So the legislation has been introduced for a few

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<v Speaker 3>years now in both the House and Senate that would

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<v Speaker 3>completely close the residential market and as a result of

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<v Speaker 3>of course, it would take down the energy switch at

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<v Speaker 3>a dot gov website and any others that let customers

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<v Speaker 3>shop easily.

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<v Speaker 2>So my question is, I know most of these political leaders.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been doing this for a long time in Massachusetts.

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<v Speaker 2>I know Governor Healy very well. She's a very decent person.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't think she's an evil person. But I think

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<v Speaker 2>that these political leaders surround themselves with political constituencies that

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<v Speaker 2>aren't really functioning in the interest either of the political

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<v Speaker 2>leaders or the residents of the Koma. Why would they

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<v Speaker 2>anyone even think of taking down as something as successful

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<v Speaker 2>as this, which has allowed people over the last thirty

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<v Speaker 2>years to actually have an impact on how much they're

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<v Speaker 2>paying for energy. Is what motivation can you divine out

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<v Speaker 2>of that?

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<v Speaker 1>Well?

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's particularly baffling in this time time of

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<v Speaker 3>energy prices in Massachusetts, so for example, in twenty twenty two,

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<v Speaker 3>National Grid went from twelve cents to thirty four cents.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, if any time was a good time to

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<v Speaker 3>go tell customers to shop, that would have been the time.

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<v Speaker 3>There was really no excuse to be trying to close

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<v Speaker 3>down the market at that time, and then now still

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<v Speaker 3>customers and every single utility service territory can save money.

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<v Speaker 3>But all I know is what they've said, both in

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<v Speaker 3>media and in testimony. They've said that the volume of

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<v Speaker 3>complaints is just too much, there's too many customers that

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<v Speaker 3>are not having a good experience, and that customers don't

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<v Speaker 3>have the capacity to shop, it's too complicated of a process.

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<v Speaker 3>But we actually looked at the data on the Attorney

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<v Speaker 3>General's website on complaints filed against retail energy suppliers, and

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<v Speaker 3>in twenty twenty three there were ninety total out of

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<v Speaker 3>four hundred and eight thousand customers, so it was less

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<v Speaker 3>than one percent. By comparison, the utility industry had three

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<v Speaker 3>hundred and fifty, cable providers had two hundred, solar three

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<v Speaker 3>hundred and fifty. So it doesn't make sense that this

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<v Speaker 3>is the one industry that's being called for to close

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<v Speaker 3>down based on a number of complaints. And you yourself

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<v Speaker 3>have a first hand experience knowing that the process is

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<v Speaker 3>very simple if you just pay attention. And so the

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<v Speaker 3>other claim about customers not having the capacity or wherewithal

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<v Speaker 3>to be able to figure this out and benefit from it,

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<v Speaker 3>I also am a shopper, is I just I find

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<v Speaker 3>it unfair and not true.

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<v Speaker 2>It almost seems to me that if if we were

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<v Speaker 2>to compare it, and if this comparison is unfair, please

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<v Speaker 2>tell me, But it almost seems to me that let's

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<v Speaker 2>assume we had a very fancy, high priced grocery chain

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<v Speaker 2>in Massachusetts, and I'm going to say something like Wegmans,

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<v Speaker 2>which is really a high quality chain and a little

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<v Speaker 2>bit more expensive to shop. And in Massachusetts we also

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<v Speaker 2>have another great grocery chain which I tend to shop

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<v Speaker 2>at whenever I have the opportunity called market Basket, where

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<v Speaker 2>you can go and find normal, everyday items at substantially

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<v Speaker 2>less prices, and market Basket happens to be the most

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<v Speaker 2>popular grocery chain in Massachusetts. When anyone, you know, surveys

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<v Speaker 2>the public and if all of a sudden there was

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<v Speaker 2>some sort of grocery chain commission here in Massachusetts and

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<v Speaker 2>they said, well, not everyone is able to go to

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<v Speaker 2>market Basket, or not everyone lives within you know, a

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<v Speaker 2>mile of market Basket. Therefore, we're going to stop people

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<v Speaker 2>from shopping at market Basket where they can save money,

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<v Speaker 2>and force them to only go to the grocery store,

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<v Speaker 2>which is going to cost them a little bit more money.

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<v Speaker 2>People would be up in arms over that. And what

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<v Speaker 2>will happen here in Massachusetts is this legislation is going

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<v Speaker 2>to sit there until sometime probably in August when everybody's

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<v Speaker 2>not paying attention, and they'll pass it and the governor

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<v Speaker 2>will sign it into law. And next next fall, when

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<v Speaker 2>people are looking for this your mass energy rates dot

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<v Speaker 2>com and that is the side, it'll be gone. And

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<v Speaker 2>it's so frustrating for me as somebody who has looked

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<v Speaker 2>at this. I don't have the expertise, the national expertise

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<v Speaker 2>that you have, but this is a no brainer. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not a close call. I just don't know how the

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<v Speaker 2>politicians are going to take this away, but I'm convinced

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<v Speaker 2>their intent is to take it away, and that they

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<v Speaker 2>will take it away. Tell me, please tell me I'm wrong.

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<v Speaker 3>I wish I could, but you know what, You're not

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<v Speaker 3>wrong about being up in arms. We've heard from thousands

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<v Speaker 3>and thousands of customers across the state. We know of

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<v Speaker 3>over five thousand customers who have reached out to their legislators.

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<v Speaker 3>Every single legislator in Massachusetts has heard from their constituents saying,

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<v Speaker 3>do not take this away. I like the ability to shop.

423
00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:54.599
<v Speaker 3>But your analogy is spot on about the grocery shopping.

424
00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:58.880
<v Speaker 3>Everyone has different preferences, and actually Massachusetts customers that shop,

425
00:24:58.920 --> 00:25:01.400
<v Speaker 3>there's a higher percentage in this state than typically in

426
00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:05.119
<v Speaker 3>other states of those that choose premium and value added products,

427
00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:08.920
<v Speaker 3>so one hundred percent renewable or an electric vehicle charging plan.

428
00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:12.200
<v Speaker 3>And those customers want that, They're willing to pay more.

429
00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:14.480
<v Speaker 3>They know the value of it, and they should be

430
00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:17.000
<v Speaker 3>allowed to do that, But every year the Attorney General

431
00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:19.559
<v Speaker 3>comes out with a report that says, these customers are

432
00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:23.160
<v Speaker 3>all getting swindled, they're overpaying for their electricity. But they're

433
00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:26.200
<v Speaker 3>comparing all of those value add customers in green premium

434
00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:29.880
<v Speaker 3>programs and value add plans against the utility six month contract,

435
00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:32.720
<v Speaker 3>and so that data is represented in a certain way

436
00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:34.599
<v Speaker 3>to tell a certain story, and it's just not the

437
00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:36.960
<v Speaker 3>actual story of what's happening in Massachusetts.

438
00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:39.759
<v Speaker 2>So ways I might have been confused by that. You're

439
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:44.160
<v Speaker 2>saying that the Attorney General has addressed the people who

440
00:25:44.440 --> 00:25:47.000
<v Speaker 2>are paying more for energy because they want to be

441
00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:50.039
<v Speaker 2>clean energy. So, for example, I get this in the

442
00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:53.240
<v Speaker 2>mail every month, Please switch to whatever the name of

443
00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:55.799
<v Speaker 2>the energy company is, and it'll it never tells you

444
00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.599
<v Speaker 2>what the price is, but it tells you that it

445
00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:00.359
<v Speaker 2>will be clean energy. It'll be wind and solar, and

446
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:02.640
<v Speaker 2>you'll feel a lot better knowing that your energy is

447
00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:04.960
<v Speaker 2>clean and they don't tell you it's going to be

448
00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:08.160
<v Speaker 2>more expensive. Now, there are some people who realize that

449
00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:11.039
<v Speaker 2>and say, look, I'm making a statement and I am

450
00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:15.519
<v Speaker 2>prepared to pay more for that cleaner quote unquote cleaner

451
00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:19.400
<v Speaker 2>energy solar, wind, and maybe a little bit of hydro.

452
00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:23.839
<v Speaker 2>But that's a choice that person wants to make. Are

453
00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:25.720
<v Speaker 2>you telling me that the Attorney General is looking to

454
00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:27.480
<v Speaker 2>take away those choices? I don't think so.

455
00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.279
<v Speaker 8>Yes, she is.

456
00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:32.599
<v Speaker 3>It's closing the entire market. So anyone enrolled in one

457
00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:37.119
<v Speaker 3>hundred percent renewable electric vehicle plans, it's taking everything away.

458
00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:39.960
<v Speaker 3>So anything that is offered by a retail energy supplier

459
00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:42.000
<v Speaker 3>will no longer be available in the market. You will

460
00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:45.359
<v Speaker 3>only have your utility offer, and if you have municipal aggregation,

461
00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.960
<v Speaker 3>your aggregation offer as well.

462
00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:50.039
<v Speaker 2>So who does that benefit? Because it would seem to

463
00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:53.440
<v Speaker 2>me that if any person who has said they want

464
00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:58.480
<v Speaker 2>just you know, quote unquote clean energy, solar energy, when

465
00:26:58.599 --> 00:27:00.599
<v Speaker 2>you know, if they say, I want a company that

466
00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.240
<v Speaker 2>gets all their energy from solar and from wind, I

467
00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:06.319
<v Speaker 2>wanted to be one hundred percent clean energy, that that

468
00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:08.799
<v Speaker 2>person has a point of view, and they're willing to

469
00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:11.039
<v Speaker 2>put their money where their mouth is, and they want

470
00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:13.319
<v Speaker 2>to pay a little bit extra or maybe a lot extra,

471
00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:17.680
<v Speaker 2>but they feel better about doing that. I don't understand

472
00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:22.480
<v Speaker 2>why that choice would be taken away from a person either, Dan.

473
00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:24.599
<v Speaker 3>You asked the right question, So who would benefit? So

474
00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:27.240
<v Speaker 3>you always need to look at where the money, who benefits,

475
00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:30.559
<v Speaker 3>and where the money goes, and not every one of

476
00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:34.200
<v Speaker 3>the utilities has a green option for customers. National Grid

477
00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:37.920
<v Speaker 3>does have green power options that customers can choose from.

478
00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:40.559
<v Speaker 3>But it's interesting because there's only a few different types

479
00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:44.559
<v Speaker 3>of companies that buy the renewable energy certificates to sell

480
00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:47.680
<v Speaker 3>for the utility to make available to customers and to

481
00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:51.119
<v Speaker 3>give customers green options. And one of those entities is

482
00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:54.000
<v Speaker 3>actually the Green Energy Consumers Alliance and their for profit

483
00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:56.799
<v Speaker 3>arm in Massachusetts, and that is one of the loudest

484
00:27:56.839 --> 00:28:01.200
<v Speaker 3>advocates on market closure, alongside Thetorney General in the City

485
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:04.359
<v Speaker 3>of Boston and Governor Healey when she was advocating loudly

486
00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:06.640
<v Speaker 3>on this as well.

487
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:12.480
<v Speaker 2>So why would Green Energy Consortium they want people to

488
00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:16.680
<v Speaker 2>have to focus. Why would they join forces with the

489
00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:22.200
<v Speaker 2>progressive political leaders to take away options from people across Massachusetts.

490
00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:26.720
<v Speaker 2>That's against what they claimed therefore right.

491
00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.640
<v Speaker 3>Right, But they would like to be the only option

492
00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:33.400
<v Speaker 3>for green energy options. And I can't speak on their behalf,

493
00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:35.960
<v Speaker 3>but that is their business on their for profit side,

494
00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:39.519
<v Speaker 3>and that's who supplies the renewable energy certificates for National

495
00:28:39.559 --> 00:28:42.039
<v Speaker 3>Grid and for municipal aggregation programs for some REA.

496
00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:46.960
<v Speaker 2>Okay, so they then they then as a green energy option,

497
00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:50.839
<v Speaker 2>would in effect have a monopoly if all the other

498
00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:56.279
<v Speaker 2>green energy options on themass rates dot Com website were

499
00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:56.880
<v Speaker 2>taken away.

500
00:28:57.880 --> 00:29:01.119
<v Speaker 3>That's right, it would certainly grow their share of the pie.

501
00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:04.400
<v Speaker 2>Okay, I got to take a break. I'm hoping that

502
00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:07.200
<v Speaker 2>we can get a few phone calls in here to

503
00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:12.880
<v Speaker 2>support what you're doing and drive people to your website

504
00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:16.160
<v Speaker 2>and drive people to mass Energy Rates dot Com. Ladies

505
00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:20.599
<v Speaker 2>and gentlemen, this is simple. This is very very simple.

506
00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:24.519
<v Speaker 2>There's not it doesn't take a lot of time. All

507
00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:27.440
<v Speaker 2>you have to do is go to the mass energy

508
00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:31.519
<v Speaker 2>it's called just basically the mass Energy rates Companny simpler

509
00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:36.000
<v Speaker 2>dot com. There's a couple of a couple of steps

510
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:39.279
<v Speaker 2>you have to take, which is self explanatory. I mean

511
00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:41.519
<v Speaker 2>a four year old could do this. As a matter

512
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:43.279
<v Speaker 2>of fact, four year olds could probably do this really

513
00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:45.240
<v Speaker 2>easily because they're much better on computers than a lot

514
00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:47.920
<v Speaker 2>of other people. And you sign up for whatever plan

515
00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:53.839
<v Speaker 2>you think is the best. They're basically they're all fixed plans,

516
00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:56.759
<v Speaker 2>which is important. You lock it in for a month,

517
00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:59.680
<v Speaker 2>for nine months, or six months, twelve months or twenty

518
00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:03.880
<v Speaker 2>four and you mark on your calendar. Okay, I got

519
00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:06.920
<v Speaker 2>a double check the my energy nine months or six

520
00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:09.400
<v Speaker 2>months or twenty four months ahead of time. And as

521
00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:12.359
<v Speaker 2>a matter of fact, I believe that these energy companies

522
00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:16.720
<v Speaker 2>are now obligated to send you a letter thirty days before.

523
00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:19.400
<v Speaker 2>And if I'm wrong here, Abby, please tell me they're

524
00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:22.279
<v Speaker 2>obligated to send me a letter or you a letter

525
00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:26.200
<v Speaker 2>thirty days and saying your rate with us is about

526
00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:29.440
<v Speaker 2>to expire thirty days from now, right or wrong on that?

527
00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.039
<v Speaker 3>That's correct?

528
00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:33.680
<v Speaker 2>Okay, So you not only should have a little note

529
00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:36.119
<v Speaker 2>on your calendar. You don't have to be a brain

530
00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:40.039
<v Speaker 2>surgeon or a rocket scientist to do that. And somehow

531
00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:44.440
<v Speaker 2>our political leaders want to take choice away and they

532
00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:48.440
<v Speaker 2>want to basically handcuff people so they have to pay

533
00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:52.119
<v Speaker 2>whatever rate is going to be imposed upon them. So

534
00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:54.640
<v Speaker 2>much for progressive politics. Well, take a break. We'll be

535
00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:58.079
<v Speaker 2>right back with my guest, Abby Foster. We are switching

536
00:30:58.119 --> 00:30:59.920
<v Speaker 2>topics at ten o'clock. So if you'd like to get

537
00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:03.160
<v Speaker 2>in and just add your voice to this and tell

538
00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:06.839
<v Speaker 2>your friends about this. This is actually something of reform

539
00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:12.119
<v Speaker 2>that is good. It will save you some money. It's insane.

540
00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:16.200
<v Speaker 2>Massachusetts is now I think insane if they take this

541
00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:21.160
<v Speaker 2>particular option away from its its citizenry. We'll be back

542
00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.920
<v Speaker 2>on Night Side. I got a couple of lines at

543
00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:25.920
<v Speaker 2>six one seven, nine three one ten thirty and one

544
00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:28.200
<v Speaker 2>at six one seven, two five four ten thirty.

545
00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:33.599
<v Speaker 1>If you're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm Boston's

546
00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.640
<v Speaker 1>News Radio.

547
00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:38.240
<v Speaker 2>My guest is Abby Foster. She's a vice president with

548
00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:41.279
<v Speaker 2>a group called the Retail Advancement Energy League. And we're

549
00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:46.279
<v Speaker 2>talking about choice. We're talking about options, uh and choice

550
00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:50.079
<v Speaker 2>and options which the politicians in Massachusetts are about to

551
00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:53.279
<v Speaker 2>take away, or they're trying to take away, and it

552
00:31:53.400 --> 00:31:55.960
<v Speaker 2>is I think it's obscene. Let me go to CG

553
00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:59.920
<v Speaker 2>and Cambridge first. CG, let me get you on here. Welcome,

554
00:32:00.200 --> 00:32:02.920
<v Speaker 2>welcome back, How are you very good?

555
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:07.480
<v Speaker 8>Thank you. I'll give be a couple of cock questions ahead,

556
00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:12.440
<v Speaker 8>please as meet your abbey. I'd like to know if

557
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:18.359
<v Speaker 8>they're getting more rates higher, are they getting more tax money?

558
00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:21.240
<v Speaker 2>I don't think tax money has much to do with this,

559
00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:28.960
<v Speaker 2>to be honest with you, but go ahead, go ahead, Abby,

560
00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:30.680
<v Speaker 2>I think I talked to O of you. Go ahead.

561
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:34.519
<v Speaker 3>No, we're both saying the same thing. There's there's not

562
00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:37.599
<v Speaker 3>a lot of overlap on the tax money, but there

563
00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:41.000
<v Speaker 3>is when there's a lot of the programs or additional

564
00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:43.279
<v Speaker 3>fees that are collected through the utility. It allows them

565
00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:46.119
<v Speaker 3>to what's called rate basic morse, they're allowed to increase

566
00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:49.400
<v Speaker 3>rates to collect those costs from you. But there's not

567
00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:51.480
<v Speaker 3>a lot on the on the taxes that get that

568
00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:54.559
<v Speaker 3>get pulled from this, but.

569
00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:57.839
<v Speaker 8>It pushes their agenda all electrics are all renewable.

570
00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.680
<v Speaker 2>I don't think so. I really don't think so. I'll

571
00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:04.440
<v Speaker 2>see what Abby says that that cg's question, is their

572
00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:08.599
<v Speaker 2>agenda all renewable? I don't think so. I don't think so.

573
00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:11.720
<v Speaker 2>That we'll see what Abbey says. Go ahead, Abbey.

574
00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:16.319
<v Speaker 3>Massachusetts does have one of the highest renewable portfolio standards

575
00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:19.319
<v Speaker 3>in the country. So I noted before sixty three percent

576
00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:22.759
<v Speaker 3>of the electricity that the utility cells or the supplier

577
00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:26.920
<v Speaker 3>cells has to be from very specific renewable energy resources

578
00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:32.079
<v Speaker 3>within the state or region. And so that does increase costs.

579
00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:34.960
<v Speaker 3>And there has been a big push on electrification in

580
00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:39.200
<v Speaker 3>Massachusetts and on energy efficiency, and for those programs, there

581
00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:41.440
<v Speaker 3>is a line item in your electric bill that you

582
00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:44.480
<v Speaker 3>pay for to fund those programs. But all of that

583
00:33:44.599 --> 00:33:48.079
<v Speaker 3>is decided by the legislature, not by the utility. So

584
00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:51.839
<v Speaker 3>they're just collecting on the required programs that the legislature

585
00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:52.559
<v Speaker 3>has decided.

586
00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:56.960
<v Speaker 2>The other thing, CG. Is this is almost the analogy

587
00:33:57.000 --> 00:33:59.400
<v Speaker 2>that I use, and I don't think it's wrong. If

588
00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:02.000
<v Speaker 2>they said to you, okay, c G, where do you shop?

589
00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:04.240
<v Speaker 2>And if you said to them, look, I like to

590
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:06.960
<v Speaker 2>go to market Basket. If they said to you, well, CG,

591
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:09.039
<v Speaker 2>you live in Cambridge and we want you to go

592
00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:12.719
<v Speaker 2>to Trader Joe's, and uh, if you said, well, gee,

593
00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.480
<v Speaker 2>there's products I can't get at Trader Joe's that I

594
00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:18.000
<v Speaker 2>need to get at market Basket, well you got you

595
00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:20.000
<v Speaker 2>can't go to market Basket, but you've got to go

596
00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:22.440
<v Speaker 2>to Trader Joe's or you know, some of the more

597
00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.519
<v Speaker 2>specialty stores. How would most people react to that?

598
00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:30.039
<v Speaker 8>Do you think, Well, against the politicians are working against

599
00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:33.360
<v Speaker 8>the constituents of this state. They're looking at for the

600
00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:35.920
<v Speaker 8>rome boiled good whatever they want.

601
00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:41.159
<v Speaker 2>I happen to agree with you. And again I'm not

602
00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:43.760
<v Speaker 2>trying to drag Abby into this part of the conversation,

603
00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:47.000
<v Speaker 2>but uh, we we are a state up here, which

604
00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:50.719
<v Speaker 2>is a pro choice state. Okay, we we believe that

605
00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:53.679
<v Speaker 2>people should be able to live their lives, uh, in

606
00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:58.360
<v Speaker 2>terms of their their choices, in terms of partners and

607
00:34:58.360 --> 00:35:02.960
<v Speaker 2>and spouses and on all all sorts of issues. We're

608
00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:07.119
<v Speaker 2>pro choice. But this is one pro choice item that

609
00:35:07.159 --> 00:35:08.920
<v Speaker 2>they want to take away from us, and they want

610
00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:12.400
<v Speaker 2>to say to us, they're going to diminish the options

611
00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:18.960
<v Speaker 2>that everyone has for electric supply charges. They want to

612
00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:23.039
<v Speaker 2>take that away, which was given to us by the state. Ironically,

613
00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:27.039
<v Speaker 2>and this is run by the state, which was intended

614
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:30.679
<v Speaker 2>to keep the cost down. It is mystifying to me.

615
00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:33.760
<v Speaker 2>It is mystifying. CJ. Thank you so much. I appreciate

616
00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:38.159
<v Speaker 2>your call. Very good. Thank you, good good questions call

617
00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:40.400
<v Speaker 2>more often. Will let me go next to Jim, Jim,

618
00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:41.760
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to sneak in here for a couple of

619
00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:43.199
<v Speaker 2>minutes at the end of the hour. Go right ahead.

620
00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:47.199
<v Speaker 2>You're own with Abby Foster with the Retail Advancement Energy League.

621
00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:50.840
<v Speaker 2>Go ahead, Jim.

622
00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:55.440
<v Speaker 9>Well, without knowing all the details, just generally speaking, it

623
00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:58.719
<v Speaker 9>sounds to me like as a function of the fact

624
00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:04.599
<v Speaker 9>that the government requires the mono, the regulated monopolies to

625
00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:09.639
<v Speaker 9>subject to regulation by a public utilities board, then they

626
00:36:09.920 --> 00:36:13.440
<v Speaker 9>aside from that regulation, they would have an obligation to

627
00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.840
<v Speaker 9>stay out of.

628
00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:18.760
<v Speaker 7>Out of the game, I mean right, I mean they're

629
00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:20.920
<v Speaker 7>kind of like double dipping. That's what it sounds like

630
00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.159
<v Speaker 7>to me.

631
00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:25.079
<v Speaker 2>Abbe you want to unravel that.

632
00:36:26.199 --> 00:36:29.079
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, So in a state that allows competition, where they

633
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:32.880
<v Speaker 3>broke up the utility monopoly. In most of the states

634
00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:36.400
<v Speaker 3>except for Texas, the utility is still your default supplier.

635
00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:38.440
<v Speaker 3>So if you don't shop, if you don't make an

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00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:42.159
<v Speaker 3>option proactively, you can still get your supply from your utility.

637
00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:46.159
<v Speaker 3>But they're that's not really a revenue generator for them.

638
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:49.400
<v Speaker 3>They're purchasing from the market and making it available to customers.

639
00:36:49.880 --> 00:36:52.760
<v Speaker 3>But that's really why customers should be using the benefit

640
00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:54.719
<v Speaker 3>of their choice and going out there and looking for

641
00:36:54.760 --> 00:36:58.360
<v Speaker 3>the best option possible, because oftentimes the utility is not

642
00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:00.880
<v Speaker 3>the best option possible, and certainly not if you're looking

643
00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:04.199
<v Speaker 3>for cost savings. There are offers in every single utility

644
00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:07.559
<v Speaker 3>service territory below the utility rate six rate offers that

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00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:09.119
<v Speaker 3>you could enroll in and save money.

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00:37:09.960 --> 00:37:13.119
<v Speaker 7>Okay, well, my mistake. I didn't know that Massachusetts has

647
00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:17.280
<v Speaker 7>went regulated. I know here in Missouri, uh.

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00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:22.960
<v Speaker 9>Whatever, whatever utility is providing electricity in your area, that's

649
00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:25.079
<v Speaker 9>who you buy it from, or else you don't get in.

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00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:29.159
<v Speaker 2>Well you have you had that here you have. I

651
00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:32.440
<v Speaker 2>live in an area for my electricity where in the community.

652
00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:34.960
<v Speaker 2>If I only get it from ever source, I don't

653
00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:38.079
<v Speaker 2>have a choice. I can't go to another big supplier

654
00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:41.719
<v Speaker 2>ever source. However I can go on the supply issue.

655
00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:44.079
<v Speaker 2>I can't have a choice on distribution, But on the

656
00:37:44.079 --> 00:37:46.679
<v Speaker 2>supply issue, I can go to right now, clear View

657
00:37:46.760 --> 00:37:52.280
<v Speaker 2>Direct Energy, others, others, Constellation, and they want to take

658
00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:56.000
<v Speaker 2>that option away. And once competition is taken away, what

659
00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:57.920
<v Speaker 2>do you think the big energy companies are going to do?

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00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:01.880
<v Speaker 7>And I'm not trying to I'm not trying to start

661
00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:02.960
<v Speaker 7>an argument, just trying to.

662
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:05.519
<v Speaker 2>Think you're not starting and all. I think we're singing

663
00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:08.360
<v Speaker 2>from the same song page. But unfortunately we're now flat

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00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:10.760
<v Speaker 2>out of time. Thanks Jim, as always, I appreciate it,

665
00:38:10.760 --> 00:38:13.960
<v Speaker 2>Thank you much, Abby, thank you. How can folks get

666
00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:18.360
<v Speaker 2>more information? And again, I'm frankly disappointed that more people

667
00:38:18.440 --> 00:38:22.039
<v Speaker 2>aren't didn't call and support what we're trying to do,

668
00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:24.400
<v Speaker 2>because all we're trying to do is save people some money.

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00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:28.159
<v Speaker 2>Other energy costs. Ye, but I think the politicians read

670
00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:30.519
<v Speaker 2>something like that and say people don't care. So if

671
00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:33.519
<v Speaker 2>that's what happens in Massachusetts, let the people deal with it.

672
00:38:33.920 --> 00:38:35.679
<v Speaker 2>How can folks get in touch with your group and

673
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.519
<v Speaker 2>get more information?

674
00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:39.400
<v Speaker 3>So real quick, I just have good news for that

675
00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:42.559
<v Speaker 3>last caller. There's actually legislation introduced in Missouri, but in

676
00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:44.800
<v Speaker 3>both the House and Senate, to break up the utility

677
00:38:44.800 --> 00:38:47.400
<v Speaker 3>monopoly and bring choice to that state. So you can

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00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:49.960
<v Speaker 3>get ahold of us on our website and ask questions

679
00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.920
<v Speaker 3>about that Missouri caller. But if you want more information

680
00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:55.920
<v Speaker 3>about Massachusetts and to get involved, to tell your legislator

681
00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:58.760
<v Speaker 3>to protect your energy choice, go to support Energy Choice

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00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.440
<v Speaker 3>dot com slash Massachusetts.

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00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:07.119
<v Speaker 2>Support energy Choice dot com forward slash Massachusetts. Thanks so much.

684
00:39:08.199 --> 00:39:10.440
<v Speaker 2>I really do appreciate it, Abby, Thank you so much.

685
00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:14.079
<v Speaker 2>You're great spokesman, and I hope we can wake people

686
00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:17.039
<v Speaker 2>up here as simple as that. Thanks so much. Talking

687
00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:19.760
<v Speaker 2>about waking people up, we're gonna talk about getting asleep

688
00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:21.400
<v Speaker 2>on the other side of the hour, on the other

689
00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:23.440
<v Speaker 2>side of the ten o'clock news. Stay with us here

690
00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:24.920
<v Speaker 2>on nightside, wake up people