Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declared a State of Energy Emergency on October 5, 2026, and announced a nearly $150 million winter energy-relief package. The state says it will expand heating assistance for low- and middle-income households and remove charges from electric bills. The announcement does not establish the signed order’s number or the detailed terms for those changes.
What Massachusetts announced
The Commonwealth’s October 5 announcement describes three parts of the package: increased Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) support for low-income households, a new heating-oil benefit for some middle-income households, and removal of charges from electric bills. It also names a partnership with Citizens Energy Corporation for an Emergency Winter Warmth Fund. The state values the overall relief package at nearly $150 million. Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Who the announced heating assistance is intended to reach
Low-income households using HEAP
The state says approximately 156,000 low-income households are identified for increased HEAP assistance. That is a projected group under the new announcement, not a claim that each household has already received an increase or that the same amount will go to every household. Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
For context, the state reports that HEAP assisted more than 156,000 households, representing over 300,000 people, during the 2025–2026 heating season. Those are historical participation figures and should not be confused with the households identified for increased assistance in the new package. Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
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Middle-income households that heat with oil
The announcement targets approximately 50,000 middle-income households that use heating oil for a new benefit and says they had not qualified for existing assistance. It does not provide the income limits, application process, benefit amount per household, or payment timing. Axios separately reports that $80 million is allocated to the oil-heating assistance; that figure refers to this part of the package, not its nearly $150 million overall value. Axios
What is known about electric-bill relief
The state says the package will remove charges from electric bills, but the announcement available here does not identify the specific charges, how long their removal would last, when it would take effect, or which customers or utilities would be covered. Axios describes the plan as cutting solar and renewable-energy charges, but the precise operative terms should be checked against the signed order and utility guidance before relying on that description for a particular bill. Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Axios
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What households should do next
The announcement establishes the intended relief but not the detailed instructions needed to determine eligibility or apply. Households should use current state HEAP guidance or official program updates for application details, and check their utility’s notices for any bill changes. Do not assume an automatic credit, a specific amount, or a start date based only on the announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unconfirmed
The signed executive order’s number and exact language were not available in the cited materials. As a result, the specific charges to be removed, duration, implementation date, and legal or program instructions remain unverified. The announcement also does not give complete eligibility thresholds or application mechanics for either heating-assistance group.
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