New England winters punish unprepared electric bills.
Businesses in MA, RI, CT, and NH can choose their electricity supplier — and with winter gas constraints driving some of the country's sharpest seasonal price swings, locking the right rate before the cold hits is everything. That's what we do.
Rates checked October 2026
New England's commercial average: 22–26¢/kWh
The highest regional rates in the country, state by state (EIA commercial retail data, via Integrity Energy): Massachusetts 25.64¢, Rhode Island 24.84¢, Connecticut 23.16¢, Maine 22.46¢, New Hampshire 22.19¢.
Massachusetts at 25.64¢ is nearly 3x Texas at 8.64¢. This is the painliest turf in American commercial electricity — and the place where a good contract matters most.
Averages are context, not your price. Your bill depends on your utility, your state's seasonal swings, and your contract — more on that below.
How energy choice works in New England
Each state runs its own choice program under the ISO New England grid — the rules differ, but the principle is the same.
Your utility delivers
Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, or your municipal utility keeps the wires, reads the meter, and restores outages. Delivery is never up for bid.
You choose the supplier
In MA, RI, CT, and NH, licensed competitive suppliers compete for commercial accounts — with fixed-rate terms that protect you from the region's notorious winter spikes.
We time the market
New England pricing is seasonal and event-driven. We watch forward curves and contract your renewal when the market favors buyers — not when your expiration forces your hand.
Your utility, your watch-list
We don't publish per-utility rates — they move too fast for a webpage to stay honest, and in New England they move fastest of all. Here's what to watch instead:
Eversource
MA, CT, NH
The region's largest utility. Basic service reprices every few months — riding it through winter is the most expensive way to buy power in New England.
National Grid
MA, RI
Same seasonal basic-service swings. Fixed contracts signed in the shoulder seasons beat the winter repricing every time.
Unitil
MA, NH, ME
Smaller territories with the same winter gas constraints — the default rate swings just as hard on a smaller stage.
Your exact number depends on your utility, your state, and your usage — upload your bill and we'll show you what winter could cost on your current plan versus a locked fixed rate, in one business day.
Why the official average lies (a little)
Those state numbers are real EIA data — but they're annual averages, and in New England the average is the least informative number of all. Basic service reprices every few months, so a January bill and a May bill in the same state can look like different planets. The average smooths away exactly the spikes that hurt.
Treat the numbers above as the weather report for the region: useful context, not your price. Your price comes down to three things — which utility delivers your power, which months your contract covers, and whether you're on basic service or a competitive fixed rate.
What drives YOUR bill in New England
Winter gas constraint spikes
Limited pipeline capacity means the coldest days bring fierce competition for natural gas between heating and power generation. Wholesale prices — and variable-rate bills — can surge. Fixed contracts signed in shoulder seasons avoid it.
Capacity market costs
ISO-NE's Forward Capacity Market pays generators to be available, and those costs flow into commercial bills. They're set by auctions, not your usage — but the right contract structure keeps them predictable.
Basic service rollover
Each utility's default 'basic service' rate reprices every few months. Businesses that drift on it ride every seasonal swing. It's the most expensive way to buy electricity in New England over time.
State-by-state fine print
Renewal notice rules, contract length norms, and available products differ across MA, RI, CT, and NH. We track the differences so a multi-site business gets one coherent strategy, not four headaches.
Two topics worth their own guides: demand charges, explained — and what happens when your contract expires.
Know your number, not the average.
Upload your bill and we'll show you what winter could cost on your current plan versus a locked fixed rate — free, back to you in one business day.
Upload My BillNew England FAQs
What is the average commercial electricity rate in New England?
It varies by state — MA 25.64¢, RI 24.84¢, CT 23.16¢, ME 22.46¢, NH 22.19¢ per kWh (EIA commercial data, checked October 2026). All are among the highest in the country, driven by winter natural gas constraints.
Why is my commercial rate higher than the New England average?
Often it's timing: basic service reprices every few months, so a winter bill can run far above the annual average. Other culprits: capacity market costs and a contract that lapsed into a variable rate. A bill review finds which one.
Which utility delivers my power in New England?
Check your bill — it's typically Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil depending on your state and town. Municipal utilities are common in parts of Massachusetts; they generally aren't in the choice market.
Which New England states have energy choice?
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire all let businesses choose a competitive electricity supplier. Maine has limited choice. Vermont is largely still utility-supplied.
Why are New England winter electric rates so high?
The region depends heavily on natural gas for power generation but has limited pipeline capacity into the region. On the coldest winter days, gas gets diverted to heating, power plants compete for scarce supply, and wholesale electricity prices spike — sometimes dramatically. Fixed-rate contracts signed before winter are the main defense.
What is ISO New England?
ISO-NE operates the region's power grid and wholesale markets, including a Forward Capacity Market that pays generators to be available. Capacity costs show up on commercial bills — another line item worth managing.
Does switching suppliers change who fixes outages?
No. Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, or your local utility still owns the wires and restores power. Only the supply portion of your bill changes.
Don't head into winter on a variable rate.
Send us your bill. We'll show you what winter could cost on your current plan versus a locked fixed rate — free, no obligation.
Get My Free Bill Review