Eversource and National Grid Basic Service August 2026 Increase

The August 1, 2026 reset numbers

Massachusetts electric companies reset basic service supply prices twice per year on February 1 and August 1 [ma-basic-service-rates]. Beginning August 1, 2026:

Utility	Prior supply rate	New supply rate	Change
Eversource	15.63¢/kWh	17.32¢/kWh	+10.8% [er-eversource-aug-2026]
National Grid	(prior window)	17.19¢/kWh	+11.8% [er-eversource-aug-2026]

These figures are supply only. Delivery charges for wires, demand, and storm recovery are separate line items on Eversource and National Grid bills [ma-basic-service-rates] [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Basic service includes supply, renewable portfolio compliance, and administrative costs procured through competitive solicitations reviewed by the Department of Public Utilities [ma-basic-service-rates]. Utilities do not mark up the energy commodity [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Why New England supply jumped

Drivers cited for the August 2026 adjustment include [er-eversource-aug-2026]:

• Wholesale natural gas volatility, because ISO-NE still relies heavily on gas-fired generation
• Seasonal demand heading into late summer and winter
• Grid infrastructure and clean energy investments required by state policy

Cannabis cultivators with 24/7 HVAC and dehumidification feel supply resets even when canopy kWh is steady. Massachusetts also enforces lighting power density rules; efficiency helps kWh but does not remove default supply exposure if you stay on basic service.

Worked example: supply cost at 17.32¢

Inputs we chose for a 150,000 kWh/month grow on Eversource basic service.

Line	Calculation	Monthly
Supply @ 17.32¢ [er-eversource-aug-2026]	150,000 × $0.1732	$25,980
Prior window @ 15.63¢	150,000 × $0.1563	$23,445
Increase		+$2,535/month
Six-month cycle	× 6	+$15,210

Industry examples use 1,000 kWh/month households seeing +$16.90/month supply [er-eversource-aug-2026]. A cultivation load scales that linearly on supply; delivery demand adds on top.

Compare against Massachusetts switching and commercial rates context, but use your actual tariff class for demand.

Basic service vs competitive supply

Under Massachusetts Energy Choice, the utility still delivers power [er-eversource-aug-2026]. You may buy supply from a competitive supplier if basic service exceeds your risk tolerance.

Checklist before leaving basic service:

Item	Question to ask
Fixed vs variable	Will the rate change monthly?
Term	Does it cover the Feb 1 reset?
Pass-throughs	ISO-NE capacity or RPS adjustments?
Exit fees	Early termination if you add rooms
Aggregation	Does your municipality run a CEA program? [er-eversource-aug-2026]

Read fixed vs index contracts and contract fine print.

Medium and large C&I customers default to monthly priced basic service unless they opt into a 3-month fixed option [ma-basic-service-rates]. Many grows fall into monthly volatility unless they actively choose the fixed window or a third-party supplier.

Gas and CHP operators: related rate case

If you run gas boilers or CHP, National Grid's DPU 26-50 gas rate case may affect thermal costs on a parallel track. See our National Grid Massachusetts gas rate case post.

Electric supply at 17.32¢ and 17.19¢ is the August 2026 hurdle for shoppable energy [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Delivery optimization and supply shopping belong in the same plan.

Takeaway

August 1, 2026 raised Eversource basic service to 17.32 cents per kWh (+10.8%) and National Grid to 17.19 cents (+11.8%) [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Default supply stays high through January 31, 2027 unless you switch [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Model the six-month supply cycle, compare competitive fixed offers honestly, and treat delivery demand as a separate project from basic service shopping.

National Grid August 2026 supply in context

Industry reporting paired Eversource's 10.8% move to National Grid's 11.8% supply increase on the same August 1, 2026 window, landing near 17.19 cents per kWh for National Grid basic service [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Both utilities operate under DPU-reviewed semiannual procurements [ma-basic-service-rates].

Operators with meters in both territories after acquisitions need territory-specific benchmarks, not a blended corporate average.

Medium C&I monthly basic service trap

Massachusetts places medium and large C&I customers on monthly basic service by default [ma-basic-service-rates]. A cultivation site that crosses demand thresholds may leave the six-month fixed residential/small C&I product just as 17.32¢ headlines arrive [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Contact the utility to request the three-month fixed basic service option if you want regulated predictability without a third-party supplier [ma-basic-service-rates].

CCC lighting compliance interaction

Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lighting power density rules push operators toward efficient fixtures that cut kWh. Basic service at 17.32¢ still multiplies remaining load [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Efficiency lowers numerator; supply shopping lowers rate.

Review Massachusetts cultivation facility energy alongside Mass Save commercial paths cited in market summaries [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Winter reset preview

The February 1, 2027 basic service procurement begins before January flower peaks for many operators. If forward curves stay gas-linked, winter basic service may exceed 17.32¢ or fall if markets soften [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Retail 24-month fixed trades that uncertainty for termination risk if you divest a site. See contract fine print.

Unitil basic service note

Massachusetts Unitil customers follow the same February/August basic service framework though August 2026 press focused on Eversource 17.32¢ and National Grid 17.19¢ [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Confirm Unitil supply on your tariff sheet [ma-basic-service-rates].

Semiannual procurement transparency

Massachusetts utilities file basic service supply results with the DPU after each February and August auction [ma-basic-service-rates]. The 17.32¢ and 17.19¢ figures are outcomes of that process for August 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027 [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Cultivators budgeting Q4 harvest energy should map kWh to those months explicitly rather than using an annual average that hides the six-month spike.

How DPU-reviewed supply auctions set basic service

Massachusetts utilities do not pick a supply price in a back room. They run competitive solicitations supervised by the Department of Public Utilities, then pass through the winning energy price with no profit markup on the commodity [ma-basic-service-rates] [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Basic service bundles energy, renewable portfolio compliance, and administrative costs from those bids [ma-basic-service-rates].

When wholesale ISO-NE power and natural gas rise between procurement periods, the August 1 reset captures the new strip even if your canopy kWh is unchanged [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Competitive retail suppliers buy in the same markets; a lower door-hanger rate may hide variable month-to-month adjustments or short contract terms.

ISO-NE capacity and why supply tracks gas

ISO-NE still relies heavily on gas-fired generation for winter and summer peaks [er-eversource-aug-2026]. When Algonquin gas prices spike, LMP follows and basic service procurement reflects it in the next February or August window [ma-basic-service-rates]. Forward Capacity Market charges also embed in supply for default customers.

Cannabis dehumidification adds moisture load on hot August days, compounding weather sensitivity beyond CUB's 12% average bill increase framing for households [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Model July and August kWh explicitly when comparing six-month basic service exposure to a 24-month retail fixed offer. See Massachusetts cultivation facility energy and understanding your commercial utility bill.

Municipal aggregation and C&I eligibility traps

Massachusetts Community Choice Aggregation and municipal programs can beat basic service for residential accounts while excluding large C&I meters [er-eversource-aug-2026]. A cultivation LLC on a medium or large general service schedule may not inherit the town's CEA price even if the municipal website advertises savings.

Confirm rate class and opt-in rules with the program administrator before assuming aggregation replaces shopping. Many grows still need a third-party supplier contract or the three-month fixed basic service option for medium C&I classes [ma-basic-service-rates]. Read Massachusetts switching guidance and contract fine print before enrolling.

CCC lighting power density and remaining kWh

Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lighting power density rules push efficient fixtures that cut kWh [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Basic service at 17.32 cents still multiplies every remaining kilowatt-hour [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Efficiency lowers the numerator; supply shopping lowers the rate multiplier. Review Massachusetts 36 W/sq ft lighting waiver post if pursuing renewable waivers.

February 2027 winter reset preview

The February 1, 2027 procurement begins before January flower peaks for many operators [ma-basic-service-rates]. If forward curves stay gas-linked, winter basic service may exceed 17.32 cents or fall if markets soften [er-eversource-aug-2026]. 24-month fixed retail trades that uncertainty for termination risk if you divest a site [er-eversource-aug-2026].

Unitil third utility note

Unitil Massachusetts customers follow the same February/August framework though August 2026 press emphasized Eversource 17.32 cents and National Grid 17.19 cents [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Confirm Unitil supply on your tariff sheet [ma-basic-service-rates] rather than applying Eversource headlines statewide.

Mass Save and efficiency before supplier shopping

Market summaries cite Mass Save commercial paths alongside basic service increases [er-eversource-aug-2026]. LED and HVAC rebates lower kWh before 17.32 cents multiplies load [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Pre-approval rules still apply for horticultural lighting rebates; efficiency does not replace supply comparison but narrows the kWh base [ma-basic-service-rates].

Six-month supply cycle cash planning

August 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027 locks 17.32 cents Eversource and 17.19 cents National Grid supply unless you switch [er-eversource-aug-2026] [ma-basic-service-rates]. On 150,000 kWh/month, that six-month strip alone is roughly $155,880 supply at 17.32 cents before delivery [er-eversource-aug-2026]. Build harvest-season cash plans on monthly kWh, not annualized pre-August averages [ma-basic-service-rates].

Compare competitive fixed offers honestly, treat delivery demand as a separate project from basic service shopping, and confirm rate class before leaving default [er-eversource-aug-2026] [ma-basic-service-rates].