Annual Usage
Default is 6,804 kWh/year (567 kWh/month) — the EIA 2024 average for Rhode Island residential customers.
Both utilities are priced at the same annual usage for an apples-to-apples comparison. Default 6,804 kWh/yr (567 kWh/month).
Energy supply reflects each utility's regulated default-service rate — Last Resort Service (RI), Basic Service (MA), Standard Service (CT), Default Service (NH), Standard Offer (ME). These rates come from each utility's periodic default-service filing and reset every 6 months. Customers who buy from a competitive supplier or through municipal aggregation may pay a different — often lower — supply rate, which would reduce the totals shown here.
Where the cost sits — by category
Where the difference comes from — component detail
Each utility's tariff line items are grouped into comparable components. Click any component to see the underlying tariff line items for both utilities. Amounts are annual charges before tax and low-income discounts (shown as separate adjustments below).
| Component | A — National Grid MA | B — Eversource MA | Δ (B − A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery & Grid Infrastructure | $1,238 | $1,112 | −$126 |
| ▸Customer charge | $120 | $120 | +$0 |
| ▸Distribution & grid | $748 | $679 | −$69 |
| ▸Transmission | $372 | $318 | −$54 |
| ▸Transition | $-2 | $-5 | −$3 |
| Energy Supply | $1,050 | $1,038 | −$12 |
| ▸Energy supply (basic / LRS) | $1,050 | $1,038 | −$12 |
| Policy & Public Benefits | $431 | $272 | −$158 |
| ▸Energy efficiency | $185 | $171 | −$14 |
| ▸Solar & net metering | $230 | $82 | −$148 |
| ▸Renewables / RPS | $3 | $3 | +$0 |
| ▸EV programs | $12 | $16 | +$4 |
| Total annual bill | $2,718 | $2,422 | −$296 |
Cross-State / Utility Comparison
All rate classes priced at the same 6,804 kWh/year for an apples-to-apples comparison. Cheapest and most expensive are highlighted. EIA state avg is the published statewide average price (EIA EPM Table 5.6.A, 2024) — a blended reference across all utilities, municipal systems, and supply choices, not a per-utility target.
| State | Utility | Rate class | Delivery | Energy | Policy | Annual | ¢/kWh | EIA state avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RI | Rhode Island Energy | A-16 Basic Residential | $866 | $803 | $407 | $2075 | 30.50¢ | 28.65¢ |
| RI | Rhode Island Energy | A-60 Low-Income Discount | $649 | $602 | $389 | $1640 | 24.11¢ | 28.65¢ |
| RI | Clear River Electric (muni) * | Residential Service | $431 | $867 | $0 | $1298 | 19.07¢ | 28.65¢ |
| MA | National Grid MA | R-1 Residential | $1238 | $1050 | $431 | $2718 | 39.95¢ | 29.35¢ |
| MA | National Grid MA | R-2 Low-Income | $842 | $714 | $293 | $1848 | 27.17¢ | 29.35¢ |
| MA | Eversource MA | R-1 Residential | $1112 | $1038 | $272 | $2422 | 35.60¢ | 29.35¢ |
| MA | Eversource MA | R-2 Residential Assistance | $645 | $602 | $158 | $1405 | 20.65¢ | 29.35¢ |
| CT | Eversource CT | Rate 1 Residential | $899 | $824 | $34 | $1758 | 25.83¢ | 28.75¢ |
| CT | United Illuminating | Rate R Residential | $1270 | $874 | $-100 | $2044 | 30.04¢ | 28.75¢ |
| NH | Eversource NH | Rate R Residential | $1018 | $769 | $42 | $1829 | 26.88¢ | 23.40¢ |
| ME | Central Maine Power | Rate A Residential | $1062 | $866 | $0 | $1927 | 28.33¢ | 24.74¢ |
| ME | Versant (Bangor Hydro) | Residential Service | $1182 | $866 | $0 | $2048 | 30.10¢ | 24.74¢ |
* Partial data: this municipal utility bundles its transmission and power-supply charges, which aren't itemized publicly. Its all-in total is derived from the utility's own published rate example (verified), but the supply/delivery split is approximate. Replace with a customer bill to decompose fully.
Methodology & Sources
The calculator uses published Rhode Island and Massachusetts tariff rates and groups line items into three analytical categories. The EIA residential average is used as the default usage benchmark. Supply rates are seasonal and reset on a 6-month cycle (RI: Apr/Oct; MA: Feb/Aug). Actual customer bills may differ based on usage, rate class, supplier choice, low-income discounts, solar/net metering status, taxes, and other adjustments.
Energy supply is the utility's regulated default-service rate (Last Resort Service in RI, Basic Service in MA, Standard Service in CT, Default Service in NH, Standard Offer in ME), taken from each utility's periodic default-service filing. Customers on a competitive supplier or municipal aggregation may pay a different supply rate. This is also why a single-utility default-service estimate can run above the EIA statewide average, which blends in municipal utilities and lower competitive/aggregation supply.
Comparisons across states reflect different tariff structures. RI includes a gross-earnings tax; MA residential electricity is not subject to state sales tax. RI low-income (A-60) discounts apply to delivery + supply only; MA low-income (R-2) discounts apply to the entire bill.
These categories are analytical groupings intended to make electricity bills easier to understand. They may not exactly match the line-item labels used on a utility bill or tariff.
Sources
- U.S. EIA — 2024 Average Monthly Bill, Residential (Table 5A) — RI avg: 567 kWh, 28.65¢/kWh, $162.40/month
- RIPUC — Electric Utility Information
- RIPUC — Rhode Island Energy Last Resort Service
- RIPUC Tariff Filing — Summary of Rates 2095 & 2096, April 2026 — RI A-16 / A-60 rate classes
- National Grid MA — Summary of Electric Delivery Service Rates (M.D.P.U. 1-26-A, eff. Jan 1 2026) & Basic Service supply rates — MA R-1 / R-2 (National Grid)
- Eversource Eastern MA — Summary of Electric Rates (delivery) & Basic Service supply rates — MA R-1 / R-2 (Eversource)
- Eversource Connecticut — Summary of CT Electric Rates — CT Rate 1 Residential (delivery + Standard Service supply)
- United Illuminating — Schedule of Rates & Riders (C.P.U.C.A. No. 2486) — CT Rate R Residential
- Eversource New Hampshire — 2026 Summary of Electric Rates — NH Rate R Residential (delivery + Default Service supply)
- Maine PUC — Residential Delivery Rates & Standard Offer supply — CMP & Versant residential
Coverage note: Maine funds energy efficiency through Efficiency Maine via a separate assessment not broken out on the delivery tariff, so its Policy total appears low here. Vermont (Green Mountain Power) files a fully bundled rate that cannot be split into the three cost centers, so it is not yet included.