Utility rate note: Massachusetts, National Grid, October 2026
On National Grid's variable option, small commercial supply costs 2.2 times more in January than in October. Industrial prices reset November 1.
Source: Massachusetts Electric Company, Summary of Basic Service Rates, M.D.P.U. No. 1-26-I, current as of October 1, 2026
What changed
National Grid's basic service tariff M.D.P.U. No. 1-26-I took effect on October 1, 2026 (issued September 9, 2026). Total billed basic service rates, in dollars per kWh:
| Customer group | Fixed price option | October 2026 variable | January 2027 variable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial (G-1, S-1, S-2, S-3, S-5, S-6) | $0.15568 | $0.11285 | $0.24833 |
| Industrial SEMA (G-2, G-3) | $0.11024 | $0.10853 | not yet set |
| Industrial NEMA (G-2, G-3) | $0.10709 | $0.10483 | not yet set |
| Industrial WCMA (G-2, G-3) | $0.10852 | $0.10782 | not yet set |
On the commercial variable option, January is $0.24833 ÷ $0.11285 = 2.20 times October. The tariff shows industrial prices through October only; the next industrial prices start November 1.
Who it affects
- Commercial (G-1 and the S rates): smaller business accounts on National Grid basic service.
- Multifamily and HOA common areas: these can be billed on a residential or a commercial rate. The rate code on your bill tells you which; this note covers the commercial and industrial groups.
- Industrial (G-2, G-3): larger accounts, priced by zone: SEMA, NEMA or WCMA.
- Accounts with a competitive supplier pay their contract price instead, but still pay National Grid's delivery charges.
What it means for on-site energy
- These are supply prices only. Delivery charges, including demand charges on G-2 and G-3, are billed separately and are not covered in this note.
- On the variable option, the value of every kilowatt-hour you do not buy from the grid moves with the month, and on commercial accounts January is the highest of the months in the tariff (August to January).
- The fixed price option trades the October low for a price that does not climb in December and January. Which is better depends on how your use is spread across the year.
- A battery's case on G-2 and G-3 accounts usually rests on demand charges, which sit on the delivery side of the bill.
What to check on your own bill
- The rate code (G-1, G-2, G-3 or an S rate) and, for industrial accounts, the zone.
- Whether you are on the fixed price or variable price option, or with a competitive supplier.
- For industrial accounts, the new price from November 1.
Source: National Grid, Massachusetts Electric Company Summary of Basic Service Rates, M.D.P.U. No. 1-26-I, effective October 1, 2026. Rates change; confirm against the current tariff before acting.
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