What to Know for Winter Heating Season
In New England, energy bills are generally higher in the colder months. The energy needed to keep your home comfortable during the chilly New England winter means higher overall energy use.
Additionally, supply costs, or the cost of the energy that is delivered to you, tend to be higher in the winter months due to changes in demand and availability of resources. Learn more about supply prices and how they are determined.
We want to ensure you know what resources and options are available during the winter season. Read on to learn about available financial assistance and energy efficiency programs to help you manage your bill.
What to do if You're Falling Behind
We all need help sometimes
The unexpected can happen to any of us. Our Customer Service Team can help create a personalized plan to get you back on track.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Programs
Energy efficiency
Reducing your energy usage
Conserving energy is the most immediate way to reduce energy bills. Additionally, energy efficiency measures in homes and businesses may help to further reduce costs.
3rd party suppliers
Research 3rd Party supplier options
Based on energy type and other variable factors, customers may occasionally enter into contracts with third-party suppliers that provide a beneficial or more stable supply price. Make sure to understand all aspects of an agreement.
Helpful Resources
Supply prices and how they are determined:
Supply rates are the market cost of the energy (electricity or natural gas) that is delivered to you. Distribution utilities like Unitil do not produce electricity or natural gas. Instead, we are required to go out to bid for the current market rate every six months. This supply rate becomes part of customer bills and is entirely separate from the rates that pay for distribution costs.
Unitil does not make any money off of supply as there is no mark-up on this rate. Instead, this is a simple pass-through to customers based on the actual, seasonal costs of energy. Most Unitil customers have the option to find an alternative supply rate through third-party providers.
